Chuck vs New York
by sgafan360
Summary: A trip to New York creates some problems for Team Bartowski. Charah
1. Chapter 1

A/N Well I was inspired to write this due to some speculating over at NBCs Chuck boards, about what if there was 3rd organization who'd been involved from the beginning with Chuck. That speculation appears to have been completely wrong, but here it is anyway.

Chapter 1

Sarah smiled inwardly at the situation. They were having dinner at the nicest restaurant in New York, were sleeping in a five star hotel, and were being chauffeured around in a limo, and the best part was that it was all on the government's dime. Beckman had requested that they spend some time in New York checking out an anti-terrorism conference and make sure that none of the delegates were Fulcrum. They'd been happy to oblige, happy to be away from the Buy More, happy to be away from Ellie's wedding craziness, happy to stay in the same bed, happy to play the affectionate couple. "I can't believe how deep Fulcrum has managed to penetrate in some of these circles." Chuck said snapping her out of her thoughts.

"We'll be fine, Chuck, I don't think they compromised us."

"I think you've compromised yourself this mission."

She smiled, easily catching his meaning. "Perhaps we should spend some more time in the room, you know make sure that they don't see us anymore and blow our cover." While normally such banter would be out of the question being on "vacation" had allowed them to bend the rules a little bit, they flirted more, kissed, and touched each other more. Sure it wasn't a fully real relationship, but it was more than what it had been a few months prior.

They returned to their meals for awhile eating in a companionable silence. "I can't believe you've never been to New York before," Sarah said laughing lightly.

"Hey, not all of us get to travel around the world working for the CIA."

"Well you do now." She smiled at him, "Do you want to get dessert here or…"

Chuck's eyes twinkled, "I think our hotel room is getting cold."

Sarah pulled out her cell phone and dialed Casey, "Casey we're ready to go back."

A grunt was his only reply. "Which number?" Chuck asked as Sarah hung up.

"What?"

"What grunt number?"

"You've numbered them?" She asked surprised despite the fact that it seemed like such a Chuck thing to do.

"Yeah, of what I heard it sounded like a number six."

"Which means what?"

"Ok I generally don't care, but I'll do whatever it was you just asked me." Sarah laughed.

They stood up, having already paid their check, and headed out towards the door. Chuck—ever the gentlemen—helped Sarah with her coat before they made their way out into the cold New York air. Having spent the last two years in southern California they both smiled at the lightly falling snow. Casey pulled up to the curb a moment later. He stepped out and opened the door before returning to the driver's seat.

As soon as Casey pulled away Chuck had wrapped his arms around her and was pulling her close. "Chuck," her voice warned him while her eyes implored him to continue.

He smiled as their lips were centimeters from each other, "good for the cover." They both smiled at their common reason for touching and kissing each other.

"Casey might see," She knew that Chuck didn't like personal displays of affection and Casey seeing wouldn't be great for her, but they both knew what the end result would shortly be.

"You know Walker for a CIA agent you and your boyfriend really suck at sneaking around."

The couple shrugged, "He's n—" She was cut off as Chuck placed a finger on her lips.

"Go with it," Chuck whispered. Sarah smiled wickedly before crashing her lips down on Chuck's.

"That doesn't mean I want to see it though," Casey said before raising the window and turning his attention back to the traffic.

As they broke for air she smiled; they seldom had the chance to get Casey back so thoroughly and in such an enjoyable way.

***

Casey turned to them as they approached the hotel, "I'll turn the limo over to our contact and schedule our debriefing with Beckman for 0600."

"Can you give us another hour or two? We don't get to sleep during these UN meetings." She teased.

"0730, but that's the latest."

"Fine by me."

The bellman opened the door as Casey pulled up to the hotel. As they made their way through the lobby they played the role of young lovers who were completely enthralled with each other, being young and completely enthralled with each helped. They made it up to the room in record time completely entranced with each other.

***

Casey handed the limo off to the agent who'd take care of it for the night, and made his way back to the lobby and up to his room. He got off on the 18th floor and headed to his room; He slipped his room key into the door and slid it open, a quick check behind him confirmed that he was not being followed. He entered his room and tossed his gun onto the table while making his way over to his surveillance equipment.

He noticed that Walker had disabled her room's cameras, "well that's nice change." He muttered under his breath. He heard his stomach growling and picked up the phone to order room service, he hated wasting the government's money, but someone needed to be watching the asset and Walker sure wasn't going to be ready to defend him.

Casey waited for the knock that was accompanied by a "Room Service," call. He opened the door and gruffly grabbed the food closing the door and turning around in one motion. As he did that the women who had just delivered the food stuck her foot in the door, stopping it from closing then shoved it back open and before Casey could even react drove a hypodermic needle into his neck.

"Monitor his surveillance, we'll deal with the rest when they're sleeping."

"You sure sir?"

"Watch the lobby in the event they show up we grab 'em otherwise give him the night."

The man nodded and turned his attention back to Casey's surveillance equipment. "Wait sir, the surveillance in their room is down and shit! Two Fulcrum agent's just walked into the lobby."

"Fulcrum?"

"Yes sir, snatch and grab team perhaps?"

"Lima take care of them."

He turned to the agent in the room with him, "Keep on the cameras." He keyed his comm. again, "Alpha two take the rooftop, prep it for evac." He walked out and made his way back to the elevator.

***

"Sarah, I have to know, are we ever going to be a real couple?"

She picked her head up off his chest, "What do you mean? We already are."

"No I mean…Are we ever going to be able to be open about it." She cringed, she knew the relationship was hard on him; he wasn't used to having to hide it and it was barely real. They hadn't made love or even gone on a real date, but she'd told him that she wanted more one night after a mission and told him that she was ready for a real relationship.

***

_One week prior to leaving for New York._

_She felt slept tugging at her, she'd been up for well over a day first on a mission and then on the mission from hell. _

_***_

_The mission was supposed to be a simply raid on a Fulcrum warehouse. Chuck had flashed on it and identified it as a minor computer and explosive storage facility. Sarah and Casey had called Beckman and gotten the O. hit the place and try and secure some intel on further Fulcrum operations. Chuck had been ordered to stay in the car as the two agents headed into the facility. _

_Sarah and Casey entered on the ground floor and encountered no resistance. Walking quietly through the warehouse they heard a commotion upstairs. One of the guards walked out and started loudly talking to his friends, "Hey there should be some more beers downstairs in the fridge, just no spawn killing me while I'm gone." _

_Casey turned to her, "You have got to be kidding me, they're playing video games?!"_

_She gave him a slightly puzzled look the term spawn killing sounded like something Chuck had said, but she couldn't completely place it. _

"_Come on Walker, you must not listen to much surveillance he complains about it all the time, that and "martyrdom whores" he screams about at least once every time he puts in Call of Duty 4. _

_She tried to contain a laugh that Fulcrum and Chuck were both playing the same game. The Fulcrum agent made his way down the metal staircase slowly. He was slightly inebriated, probably from the previous beers they'd been consuming, but as he finally made his way to the bottom of the stairs Sarah approached from behind. She took one of her knives and dragged it across his throat, killing him._

_They headed up the stairs and approached the room full of rowdy Fulcrum agents. It was comical at how easy these guys were making it. As she thought back to the whole thing she realized that this op was too easy. It might be a trap, what spies spent their entire night playing video games and getting drunk?_

_They moved forward anyway it wasn't like they had much of a choice and burst into the room and quickly dispatched all the guards. They began searching the room for clues as to what Fulcrum was up to. _

"_Chuck its clear come on in."_

_As they were going through the wires near the television she encountered one that was far too familiar. It was Primacord linked to C4 charges like the one hidden behind the television unit. "SHIT CASEY IT'S TRAP."_

_They both desperately searched for a way out of the building. Their eyes collectively settled on the window facing the bay. A quick look at each other and they're jumping out of the window and into the bay. As soon as she hit the water she realized her mistake. Chuck! "Chuck it's a trap get out of there NOW!" _

_Whatever his response may have been was cancelled out by the sound of the building being leveled by the C4._

"_CHUCK!" She screamed into her microphone. _

_They scrambled up to the dock again and began searching for Chuck. _

"_What the hell was their plan?"_

"_I don't know, I'll check in with Beckman." Casey said dialing. "Major Casey, secure."_

"_Report Major."_

"_We don't know what happened ma'am, the building was booby trapped and the whole thing was a set up."_

"_Major we received intel shortly after you went in that indicated Fulcrum was aware that you and Miss Walker were working together. Considering your success against them we believe that they were willing to sacrifice those agents to take down you two."_

"_They didn't even put up a fight General, they were playing video games like civilians."_

"_Yes Major we understand, we are still trying to understand the situation, but at this time we believe the whole thing was a set up for you two the intersect should be safe."_

"_Actually general, he may have been caught in the blast we're currently searching the site for him."_

"_I'll dispatch a team and leave you to it Major, good luck." She hung up the phone. _

_He headed over to search the opposite side as Walker. He had just reached it when he heard her scream, "CHUCK!" he spun about and was running over to where she was now collapsed on the ground checking for his pulse and other vitals. _

_She was thankful for the rain, it hid her tears and she could pass off her shaking as a result of her wet clothes. "It's weak," she called to Casey. She tilted her head to the side listening for his breathing, "Don't—don't you dare leave me." Normally he was safe; Chuck never got hurt, of that she always made sure, she wasn't ready to face the possibility that he could get hurt. She and Casey could get hurt, but not Chuck he had to be safe. He was her constant. He was put in danger and threatened often enough, but he always managed to stay safe. Always safe._

_Casey was over quickly, "Beckman's sending a medevac helicopter that should be here momentarily." She heard it approaching in the distance._

_***_

_They were all sitting in the waiting room waiting for some news on Chuck. Sarah was pacing impatiently, annoyed at the lack of updates from the doctors, "Sarah can you please sit down! They're doing their best. Chuck will be fine."_

_Sarah looked over at Ellie, "How can you be so sure?" Her confidence was shot; she couldn't be the detached agent anymore. She already knew how'd she play it off to Casey, she'd tell him that this was all for cover that the pacing and concerned girlfriend were just for Ellie's sake. It's a lie, one she thinks he'll fall for not because he necessarily believes her, but because it's easier. _

"_I know the surgeon Sarah, he's the best."_

"_What if the best isn't good enough?" Sarah said collapsing into a chair._

"_Sarah he's going to be fine," the desperation in Ellie's voice was almost palpable. She was clearly afraid for her brother's safety as well. Sarah had just snapped while Ellie managed to stay slightly more in control._

"_Ellie? Devon?" The surgeon called as he walked around the corner. Sarah sprang up with them, but managed to resist running to him. _

"_Steve, how's my brother?" The pain was evident in Ellie's voice despite the brave face she was putting on._

"_He'll be fine, he's out of surgery you can see him if you want." That was all Sarah needed as she took off for his room. _

"_HE'S SLEEPING THOUGH," the surgeon screamed down after her. _

_***_

_Her heart jumped as she saw his eye flutter open. "Sarah," he ground out. She could hear the pain and thirst in his voice. She brought a glass of water over to him and inserted a straw for him. _

"_You had me—us worried there."_

_He smiled at her, he looked like death. "Ellie was by, but she had to go on shift."_

"_C-Casey?"_

"_He's fine." Sarah stared at him for a long moment. She made her decision; this time was far too close, Chuck almost died. In one night her relatively perfect world had been shattered, her Chuck was merely mortal and wasting time was no longer an option. She needed to indulge herself with him before one of them ended up dead from the next bomb, "Chuck you once told me you—you had feelings for me."_

_He looked at her, confused as to why she would ask, but he remembered telling her as much. "Do you still?"_

_His look of slight confusion turned to one of complete bewilderment; he shook his head up and down slowly, indicating he did remember. "Chuck I…I care about you to," She let it hang in their air for a moment before leaning in towards him. Her mouth right next to his ear she whispered to him, "Do you think we could make this…make it real?"_

_His eyes gave her all the answer she needed, but before she'd give in and kiss him she had to warn him, the CIA agent in her might have lost the professionalism battle, but she was still around. "It won't be easy I don't know how much a long time we'll get and we have to keep up our cover appearance."_

_He nodded sadly, but she wiped the smile from his face with a kiss._

_***_

"Chuck you know we can't; Beckman would reassign me immediately and…"

"I know. I understand Sarah, just I don't want to have to-"Chuck stopped as the door to their suite exploded open. A quick look at Sarah's face confirmed his worst fears; she hadn't brought any weapons into the bedroom, they were defenseless.

Despite the lack of weapons Sarah was still up, and positioned on the right side of the door before he could say Fulcrum, Chuck stood up on the left side near the bed. They both knew it was probably futile, but she was going to go down fighting.

The door burst open and a man clad in full black armor entered pistol first in a weaver stance. Sarah threw a kick out aiming to knock the gun out of his hands, but he dropped his elbow and pulled the gun and his arms up and closer to his chest. She missed and the intruder jumped back into the room from which he entered and, seeing that she was unarmed and did not need to be killed, with his right hand pulled out a tranquilizer gun. He crossed his arms with his left hand holding a pistol aimed squarely at Chuck's head, who was standing to the intruders right, and the right holding the tranq gun aimed at Sarah, who was on his left.

Sarah looked over to Chuck to see if he had flashed on the intruder, but he was looking as confused as she was; he was wearing a balaclava that might be obscuring Chuck's flash. "Miss Walker please do not attempt anything further or I may be forced to harm either yourself or Chuck," he spoke with a British accent, it sounded like he had been raised near London.

"Why don't you leave and you won't have to deal with us."

He tapped the radio on his chest, "Report in."

"Lima, two tangos down, we're clear," the radio was slightly louder that it could have been, but he'd had it up higher while waiting around in the noisy hotel lobby so the Chuck and Sarah were able to hear the communications.

"Alpha two, rooftop clear we're good for evac."

"Sierra, feeds are clear no more company."

"Ok, I have the Intersect here there is however one slight complication…"

"The girlfriend?"

Chuck and Sarah looked at each other, "We're not really-"

"Echo we can't take her."

"Alpha two signal Alpha one to bring in the chopper I'll be up in five." He tapped his headset again stopping his broadcast.

"Who are you?"

He stared at her. He knew that he shouldn't tell her anything, hell protocol said he should take her down right now, but he felt a little sorry for the pair he knew what was going to happen to them by the end of this. "Classified," he turned his head and focused his attention on Chuck, "Chuck let's go."

The radio burst to life one last time, "Chopper is inbound Echo."

"Wait you actually call each other that? I mean Echo and Alpha? Don't you guys have names or something?"

"Callsigns are—Let's go Chuck, Casey is already down he won't be coming to back you up." He fired a round into the bed to make his point.

Chuck took a step forward and closed the gap towards the mysterious enemy. When Chuck closed within a couple of feet he reached out and batted the pistol away from him; Sarah lunged forward in an attempt get the tranq gun away from him, but was stopped as the enemy fired a tranq dart into her neck. She continued heading for him for a moment before dropping to the floor. "Don't worry she'll be fine in an hour or so."

Chuck rushed over to her, "Sarah?" He felt for a pulse. He let out the breath he was holding when he felt it.

"That was stupid of you Bartowski." He said as he fired a tranq round into Chuck. "They didn't cooperate, I had to tranq him." he lifted Chuck over his shoulders and made his way the elevator that his team member, Lima, was holding for him.

They contained their laughs at two heavily armed agents clad in black one who was supporting an unconscious man listening to elevator music as they slowly ascended to the rooftop. They stepped off the elevator into the snow and approached the helipad. "ETA?" He asked Lima.

"Should be coming into range right about now."

"You know our footprints will be pretty obvious in the snow, should we do anything about them lead?" Sierra asked as she stepped up onto the rooftop.

"Don't worry about them."

The MH-60 Pave Hawk landed in short order. Putting Chuck into the helicopter he tapped his long range radio back to base, "Team six is clear." And with that the elite team was on board and heading out into the New York City skyline.

End Chapter 1

A/N- Well I was hoping to see Chuck's renewal news, but it looks like I'll have to wait a bit before I get to hear that news so I decided to post this hope you enjoyed.

Updated it and added a few things, nothing that changes the story, but I just wanted to change the flashback around a bit.


	2. Manhunt 1

Chapter 2

**A/N Thanks for the reviews.**

**+ 4 Hours**

Sarah slowly drifted back into the realm of the conscious. She recognized that she was down on the floor, which was never a good thing for an Agent, but it took her a moment to realize just how bad the situation was; she bolted upright the moment she realized someone had taken Chuck. She felt a quick battle being fought inside her. To freak out and be the crazy jealous girlfriend or be the emotionless in control agent? The agent one and she picked up her phone and dialed Casey as she looked around the hotel room for some hint, clue, or lead of any kind that would indicate where Chuck might have been taken or who had taken him.

When Casey's phone went to voicemail she called Beckman, "General I understand it's early, but Chuck appears to have been kidnapped."

When she had first picked up the phone the general's tiredness had been evident, but when Chuck and kidnapped appeared in the same sentence all traces of fatigue disappeared. "What do you mean appears to have been? Either he was or he wasn't which is it?"

"Someone breached our room and hit me with a tranquilizer dart, they had made their intention to capture Chuck clear, but I cannot confirm that he has been kidnapped as I would have been down at the time."

"Agent Casey should have been monitoring the situation."

"They indicated that Casey had already been neutralized and he didn't return my call."

"I'm sending in a new team, they'll be under your responsibility until Casey wakes up at which point I want you both to fully brief me on what happened."

"Yes ma'am." She knew she had to go check on Casey and make sure that he wasn't dead and then review the security footage, but before she attempted any of that she was going to give herself five minutes, just five and then she'd be good. She dragged herself to the bathroom as she felt the tears start form, entering the dark room she kept the lights off; she opened the medicine cabinet and took out the bottle of aspirin. She downed them without bothering with water and then looked up at her reflection in the mirror. She noticed the tears silently streaming down her face. She didn't do anything to stop them.

Five minutes later she emerged from the bathroom in full agent mode; her asset was gone and it was her job to recover him, anyone between her and her asset was going to be in a world of hurt soon enough.

She kicked open Casey's door hoping that the display of physical anger would make her feel a little better. It didn't.

"Casey get up," her voice was ice, but he didn't react. She reached down and felt for a pulse, it was steady, satisfied that he wasn't dead she stepped over his slumped body and moved over to his array of surveillance equipment. She checked the cameras outside the room--she'd taken the ones inside offline in the event she ended up _really_ comprised—she scrolled forward and saw her and Chuck hastily enter the room. A few hours later she saw someone begin to approach the room down the hallway, but then the screen went blank. She cursed; clearly whoever took Chuck had someone else to shut down the cameras. She rewound the tape to the point just before the camera died. The man, Echo! That's what he'd been called over the radio, she remembered and filed it away for possible use later. His weapons were still concealed and he wasn't obviously nervous. She pulled up the feed from the elevator cameras and checked for the presence of the man.

She stopped and the blood drained out of her face when she saw who had just entered the elevator. She checked the time stamp, "Shit!" she swore. She recognized the two men who had just gotten into the elevator; Chuck had made them at the conference they were Fulcrum. She continued watching hoping they'd do something that'd give away what they were going to do. The elevator doors began to close when someone stuck his arm into the door and slipped in. He stood in front of the two Fulcrum agents and pushed the button for the sixteenth floor.

She noticed that he was standing strangely; he had both his hands tucked inside his jacket it looked almost like he was hugging himself. The Fulcrum agents hit their floor and stepped out; the third man took a step back. Before Fulcrum even managed to fully exit the elevator the man had spun into action. The reason for his strange behavior, specifically where his hands were, became evident; he pulled out two silenced pistols and leveled them at the back of the Fulcrum agent's head. He pulled each trigger once and the two men dropped dead. She whistled, whoever that was he was definitely a pro. He quickly pulled the bodies back into the elevator and policed them for weapons. She saw him hit the button for the roof and midway to the fifteenth floor the camera cut out.

She flipped to the rooftop camera but judging by the time stamp that was the first one they took out. She heard Casey groan from behind her as he began to wake up, "it's about time."

"Walker, what are you—Where's Chuck?" Despite his grogginess she could hear clear alarm in his voice.

"No idea, he's gone."

"Do we know any Fulcrum sites here?"

"It wasn't Fulcrum."

"What? How do you know? Who is it?"

"I don't know who, but here look at the feed from the elevator camera." He sat down in the chair and tried to focus on the computer monitor. She pulled up the feed of the two Fulcrum agents. They entered the elevator, "Chuck had identified they earlier today they definitely Fulcrum." He nodded slightly confused as to why it wasn't Fulcrum if she just confirmed Fulcrum was in the building. She continued playing the video and he took note of the way the strange man was standing. "What the hell!" Casey said as he saw the two Fulcrum agents get executed. "Ok so if it wasn't Fulcrum who kidnapped Chuck, who the hell was it?"

"I told you I don't know!" Casey looked at her. She'd obviously been crying a little while ago, he grunted they handled the situation in different ways but he understood what she was going through. It was the first time she'd failed a job, first time she'd been failed to protect the asset, first time she'd failed Chuck. "I'm going to check the roof, see if they left the Fulcrum agent's here." Her voice sounded defeated, it was obvious that she wasn't taking this well, not that he could blame her he wasn't exactly taking it all that well and he wasn't in love with the asset.

"Reinforcements?"

"En route, Beckman is sending her best people." She opened the door and stepped through the doorway.

"Walker." She paused for a moment waiting to hear what he was going to say, "We'll get him back."

"Yeah Casey, we will." Her delivery was icy cold, he knew that whatever her feelings towards Chuck they were now secondary to completing her mission.

***

She exited the rooftop elevator intent on finding a clue to where they'd gone, or something anything to focus on. Hell she'd was ready to run the dissection of the bodies if it got her mind off Chuck for a few minutes. Walking up to the helicopter pad she saw some footprints heading up to the helicopter pad. Reaching the top she saw three wheel marks the prints promptly disappeared. He was definitely gone.

Walking back into the elevator she was reminded of the start contrast between the cold desolation she now felt, and vibrant, full, happiness she had felt the week before back at her hotel.

***

_They stumbled into the elevator together, Chuck from his injuries and Sarah from the alcohol she'd ingested at the party earlier. He'd been released earlier that day and they'd gone to his apartment for a party that Ellie had planned to celebrate his release. As the party had worn on she'd ended up having way too much to drink; everyone had simply expected her to stay with Chuck, but she'd managed to convince him to take her back to her hotel. Entering the elevator she punched the button for the rooftop. "Sarah your room isn't on the roof."_

"_I'm not ready to go into my room yet."_

_As they exited the elevator she took him over to "her" spot. "Sarah what are we doing here?"_

"_Well Chuck I wanted to," she giggled and pulled him down. "Show. You. My. Favorite. Spot." She punctuated each word with a kiss. Finished she turned away from him and looked out at the skyline. "I…I like the view."_

"_It is pretty amazing isn't it?" He said as she sunk into him. He just smiled at her, he didn't really know why but this spot seemed to have some significance to her although why was beyond him. _

_She smiled at herself, he might not know why but she felt good to be able to share this little bit of herself with him. _

_***_

She caught site of a drag pattern. Any normal person would never have noticed it or would immediately dismiss it, but after operating in Russia for a few winters Sarah had become accustomed to the tell tale signs of a dead body being dragged through the snow. Strange that whoever had done it had been careful enough to remove any traces of blood or brains but didn't think to disguise where they had dragged the bodies.

They were hidden behind wall, not very well either. Whoever was doing this clearly was not used to hiding bodies, which meant either they had their own cleaner team or they didn't care who knew they were around.

Sarah moved back inside to check if her team was on site yet. Walking back into Casey's surveillance suite she saw that they had. She pointed at two of the agents near the door, "Two bodies on the roof deal with them."

"Yes ma'am," they responded in unison before disappearing out the door.

"They used a helicopter for their egress see if you can narrow down which one, that should tell us something about them," She indicated the agent standing next to Casey for that task.

She turned to the remaining four agents, "I want you to get me CCTV footage, you to check FAA flight plans, you to check NYPD, FBI, and any other agency to see if they flew a helicopter or saw one in the city tonight." She turned to the final agent, "and you go back through all the hotel surveillance and check to see when and where these people showed up."

Casey sat there silent. He turned to her as soon as the last agent exited, "Walker you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine. I assume you gave a few of them assignments before I came back?"

"Yeah I've got them guarding the outside and I sent a request to Echelon to feed us everything that they find on the Intersect."

"Good, I think we might need to bring Director Graham's replacement in on this though."

"I know your upset about your boyfriend being gone and all but give it a day before you brief someone on the Intersect, you know we never told him for a reason. He could be Fulcrum."

"I also sent some to process the elevator and your room."

"That why the elevator took so long?"

"Yeah."

"Pull your team off the room I'll do that myself."

_She's either got something to hide there, or she's wants to go over and go through everything she could have done differently and drive herself crazy. _"Walker," he warned. He'd have to be dead not to notice the change in her; she was speaking in a shorter, harsher, more direct manner and everything about her screamed professionalism. He figured she had about seventy two hours before she cracked and broke down; the façade of professionalism and detachment would only keep her safe for so long at which point he figured she'd be useless for anything.

"I'll be fine Casey." She exited the room and headed down to her hotel room.

***

**+ 4 Hours**

"Hello Mr. Intersect." Chuck tried to open his eyes but the light forced him to shut them. The voice was strangely cheerful as if she was happy he was awake.

Chuck groaned at the unfamiliar voice. He heard whoever it was walk away and a moment later he felt the room get darker. "Thanks," he ground out slowly opening his eyes again.

"No problem anything else you need? Drink? Hungry?" She was wearing a smile that seemed genuine enough. But as Chuck struggled to stand up he found that his arms and legs were both strapped to the chair he was sitting in, despite the smile he was clearly a prisoner.

"Can I have a cab back to my hotel room?" He smiled back at her.

She laughed, "Sorry can't leave yet."

"Yet? Does that mean I'll get to go back someday?" He looked around the room. It was relatively barren apart from a bed and the chair he was sitting in. The whole room was painted white and the overhead lights were quite powerful of what he remembered. One elevated section of the wall, however, was replaced with a control room filled with computers and other equipment.

"ALPHA ONE REPORT TO THE CONTROL ROOM IMMEDIATELY," came a more familiar voice over the speakers, it was the man who had kidnapped him.

"You call each other that even at base? Or are we not at your base?"

"That's me I've got to go Charles."

"Chuck, everyone calls me Chuck."

She was surprised at him. Normally prisoners were far more hostile and while he was being honest in his desire to leave he seemed nice enough. She realized that she'd be able to get him to cooperate easily if she treated him nicely, "Ok Chuck, would you like a TV?"

"How about a cell phone? Preferably mine, but I'm not picky any old phone will do."

"You can't call Sarah."

"Ellie?"

"Doesn't know you're missing and we'd prefer to keep it that way."

"Casey?" He asked sheepishly, hoping that he hadn't pushed his luck too far.

"Chuck, you can't call anyone." She paused for a moment thinking, "But maybe if you're good we'll let you call Sarah I'm sure she's very worried about you." A smile played across her lips it'd been awhile since she'd had the opportunity to manipulate someone.

"So do you want the TV?"

He grumbled but at least he wasn't struggling yet, "got any video games?"

She smiled at him, "Yeah I'll ask Sierra to come talk to you she's a gamer."

"One of you is a gamer? I'm surprised, I figured you'd be all action and about the mission."

"You don't know anything about us Chuck, but I really have to go." She sprinted out of the room late for whatever Echo was calling her for. As she exited he realized that he hadn't flashed, he'd had a completely unobstructed view of her face and body for the entire conversation and yet he never flashed on her. Whoever these people were they weren't in the Intersect.

**A/N- Hope you enjoyed, next chapter is going to be more Chuck centric. Let me know if you have any problems with any of it. If you're confused about the kidnappers just hang on a bit, I've managed to work a basic description of each one into a future chapter, but I can just add it in as an A/N as well if you'd prefer.**

**Added in the times. **


	3. Captivity 1

Chapter 3

A/N- Thanks for the reviews.

**+8 Hours since the incident. **

Chuck had been sitting there for hours when the door once again opened. The same woman as before entered, "Hello Chuck." She was still bubbly and smiling at him.

"I talked to Sierra she said she'll be by later today she just has some things to take care of first."

Chuck nodded sadly. He really wanted to get up and move around.

She dropped her own smile, "Chuck uh what's the matter?"

"Well I'm being held hostage and I've been strapped to this _chair_ for who knows how long. The door is keypad locked and there's no other way out of the room is it really too much to be able to walk around? And uh…perhaps be granted the use of a bathroom?"

She snapped into action, issuing apologies, "Sorry I thought someone else would have been by." As he was finally freed she stepped back, she wasn't afraid he could take her but he needed to get up quickly. She walked over to the doorway and punched in her code, "Bathroom is the third door on your right."

"You're just going let me go?"

"Most doors are locked Chuck and you won't be able to escape even with the Intersect. I don't know if I'll still be here after you've figured that out though."

He smiled at her, as far as being captured by enemy agents this had been the most pleasant experience so far he hadn't been tortured, beaten, shot at, or threatened.

***

He slowly meandered back to his holding room; she had been right, he hadn't found any way to escape or anywhere to go. "Mr. Bartowski I was wondering when you were planning on returning."

Chuck shrugged, he didn't recognize the woman who was in his room. It was then he realized that his room had been changed quite a lot; since he'd left they'd added a couch, plasma screen, computer, and a 360 along with a couple of games.

"I heard you're a COD man, I'm a Halo girl myself but I'll play you."

"1 v 1 Deathmatch?"

She nodded pressing the guide button and firing up the xbox.

***

**+ 12 Hours since the incident**

"Spawn camper!" She growled as he killed her again resulting in his fourth victory of the night and his 4-2 series win.

"Hey you guys kidnapped me I should be allowed to camp."

"Alright Bartowski, it's getting late and I've gotta hit the sack."

"Oh…ok."

"Bartowski you need to sleep as well, we might have given you a break today but we didn't take you to Call of Duty and Halo."

She exited his room leaving him alone again. He, deciding she was right, went to sleep after getting the "Mile High Club" achievement.

***

**+ 21 Hours (7:00 PM)**

He woke up to the sound of his room's sole door being opened. In walked the younger kidnapper who appeared to be called Alpha and she was carrying a tray of breakfast food. "You know if you had told me this is the kind of treatment I'd be getting you wouldn't have _needed_ to kidnap me."

"Well as long as your cooperating there's no reason to torture and deprive you of basic amenities. Just don't resist or attempt to escape and I'll make sure you're taken care of."

She laid the tray down and sat down across from him, "Would you mind flashing on some of our images?" Her delivery was soft, but it was obviously an order rather than her asking if he would.

He nodded before attacking the food.

She opened up a folder she'd carried in with her, "Here take a look at this one."

He glanced up. He didn't flash, "Nope nothing."

She held up another one, "Nope."

The next few were all busts. But finally he flashed on the picture, "KGB double agent, passed secrets to the CIA throughout the last decade of the Cold War."

She nodded, "Well you aren't faking having the Intersect."

"No, why should I have flashed on those previous pictures?"

"I'll talk to you later Chuck."

***

Alpha walked into the mostly deserted command center. "Where is everyone sir?"

"They went home, just us today, I figured we might need the privacy."

She smiled at him; he always knew what she needed. "Our security is good; the Intersect didn't flash on any of us."

"Good. Given that we're all clear, I'd like to train him a bit. This isn't a vacation after all."

"Boss are you sure? I don't think he's cut out for it and if he is he could use it against us." She paused for a moment, "You saw his test scores." Her voice dropped to a low whisper, "they're off the charts, best I've ever seen, hell by the end of this he might be as good as some _teams_."

"That's that idea kid."

She smiled at his personal nickname for her. When he'd first called her that she'd been wary, she was new in the organization and he didn't know if he was trying to hit on her, but she eventually realized that he wasn't hitting on her and that it was simply a nickname."Yes, but we have no one to match him, annihilation principal applies."

"I am aware of MAD, however it doesn't apply here he isn't working for either side."

"He's working for the CIA he might as well be working for us, what if he turns?" Genuine fear crept into her voice. Normally he would have complained, but in this case it was warranted.

"He's not on the CIA's side. He's on Walker's."

"You're going to use her." Her voice betrayed her slight shock, she should have known better of course they'd exploit that.

He nodded, "The new Director is a gamma."

"The new Director of the CIA is one of us?"

"Yeah, he was instrumental in setting up Omaha to."

***

Chuck, having thoroughly beaten all of the available call of duties, was in the middle of working through Splinter Cell: Double Agent an older title, but he could understand why these people were a fan of it, when Alpha walked in. "Are you sure there isn't a normal name I can call you besides Alpha?"

She looked at him, she felt a little sorry for him, "Ann."

"Nice name," it was the offhand flippant nice remark that she'd learned he would often compulsively give out.

"It isn't my name."

"Cover?"

"Nope, just made it up."

He nodded, he didn't like it, but calling her Ann sure sounded better and nicer than Alpha. "Chuck, I have to ask you a few questions."

"I don't have much choice in answering do I?"

A playful smile crossed her face, "How often do you flash?"

"It varies, about once a normal week."

"Does it cause you any physical pain?"

"Not really."

"How did you first come into possession of the Intersect?"

"Bryce Larkin sent it to me." As soon as the words exited his mouth he noticed a figure sitting up in the control room. At hearing Bryce's name he bolted up.

He hit a button on the computer and his voice boomed throughout the room, "Did you say Bryce Larkin?"

Chuck gulped, the voice was a sharp contrast between Ann's kinder, softer plying one; not to say that the new was mean or angry it was just sharper more to the point, more like Beckman. "Yes."

"How do you know Larkin?"

"I'm his old college roommate, he got me kicked out of Stanford to keep me away from the CIA."

"Chuck have you ever heard of Project Omaha?"

"Yeah that was what he wanted to keep me away from."

The man stood up, turned off the sound system and exited the observation room obviously focused on whatever his mission was.

"Chuck what do you Know about Project Omaha?"

"Not much apart from that it was a military operation, I was being recruited for it, and Bryce got my kicked out to keep me away from it. Oh and Omaha was some code word between Bryce and Sarah."

"Chuck Project Omaha was a recruiting ground for us and considering your test scores you would have been a shoo in."

He recognized the word Omaha. It was the contact word Bryce had used with Sarah, "Wait do Sarah and Bryce work for you?"

"No, they didn't make the cut."

"Agent Sarah Walker and Agent Bryce Larkin?"

"Failed, they came close but they weren't good enough."

"And you think I would have been good enough?"

"You have the Intersect which greatly helps you."

"They could get it."

"While they would be help to survive they wouldn't retain the amount of information you would. Actually do you remember the Fulcrum intersect in the suburbs?" Chuck nodded in affirmation, "Sarah could have seen the Intersect and would have been fine eventually, she would have experienced some immediate trauma and temporary insanity, but nothing permanent."

"I'm glad she closed her eyes."

Ann smiled, "That's why she-"

Her statement was cut off as the man who had kidnapped Chuck walked in. Unlike the previous two times Chuck had seen him—the control room earlier that day and when he was first kidnapped—he was no longer dressed in black mission gear, but in an Armani suit.

"You clean up nice boss."

"I'm going out for the night, I called Sierra she'll be here in a couple of hours until then your own your own."

"Not Lima?"

"He's backing me up."

"You need backup on a _date?_" Chuck asked shocked, Sarah hadn't brought any weapons let alone backup when they'd gone on their one real date; unfortunately it turned out that she could have used the weapons and backup, but still this guy was supposed to be a top notch spy.

"It isn't a date, I'm meeting Mr. Larkin."

"Agent, he's uh an Agent."

"He's never officially told he works for the CIA so I refer to him as Mr. rather than Agent or soon to be dead target."

Chuck's eyes expanded to the size of saucers, "you're going to kill Bryce?"

"Don't know yet." He loaded his weapon and flicked the safety off before re-inserting it into his shoulder holster. The implication was obvious; Larkin could very well have a bullet lodged in his brain by the end of the night. "See you in the morning kid," he called exiting the room and heading off to his meet.

Chuck turned to her, "Are you two dating?"

"No." The crisp reply was harsher than she would have liked, but unlike his girlfriend she didn't date her coworkers.

"But you want to." He wasn't asking.

She shook her head; he had mistaken her suddenness for longing not insult. "No were not like that, he's more like an uncle I guess."

"Ah"

She smiled; she knew exactly what to do, "Sierra on the other hand, well I'm pretty sure she has a thing for him." It was a bold faced lie, but it was unlikely Chuck would observe Sierra enough to develop any suspicions about her.

"Ok Chuck back to why I'm here, do you know who designed the Intersect?"

"No."

"Do you suffer from any side-effects from flashing?"

"Not really."

"What do you know about the Ring?"

"Nothing, and no I didn't flash on the word."

"Would you be willing to look at some of their operatives and see if you flash on them?"

"I don't know, how about I take a stroll outside and then come back and tell you?"

"Sorry you can't leave, but I can show you the view if that'd make you feel better?"

"How about I call Sarah? She always calms me down."

"I'd need Echo to be here and authorizing the call."

"Then I think I'd rather not look at the files."

"Ok, come with me I'll show you the balcony maybe you'll feel better after getting some fresh air."

"It's New York City."

"Ok, slightly less processed air."

They shared a quick laugh as he got up and they moved to the door. Walking out onto the balcony he searched for some clue as to his location. He was surprised to realize he was still within the city, and whatever structure he was in was surrounded by other skyscrapers. He looked down, he was quite high up, far to high to jump or anything. "Do you guys own the entire building?"

"Yeah, we rent out some of the lower offices to earn a little extra cash."

"How do you earn most of your money then?"

"We have an operational slush fund, that get's refilled as needed." Her smile faded for a moment as she continued, "we have to fill out a ton of paperwork at the end of every fiscal year."

"You're kidding me; a top secret underground spy organization has to file annual reports?"

"Yeah, well the financial wizards have to move stuff around and make sure we're financially sound both long and short term."

She brought him back inside before he had any chance to find something that would enable him to fix his location. It was risky enough for her to allow him to call Sarah, but if he had a general fix on his location he might pass the information along to Sarah and Alpha really didn't want to have to kill her.

***

Larkin walked into the restaurant. He spotted his contact immediately, at a table up against the glass window, well that'd make his surveillance team's job easier. Normally he wouldn't have brought them along, but with Chuck being kidnapped him being sent to New York and then being contacted by John all happening within a day, it was too much of a coincidence. He also had the sneaking suspicion that John was into some deep black ops, he always showed up around when things started getting weird and usually he left after leaving a couple dozen bodies behind. He approached the table and sat down opposite him, "Hello John."

"Mr. Larkin." His contact greeted.

"So what brings you into town? String theory conference at Columbia?" When Bryce had begun to suspect that John wasn't actually an Astrophysicist he'd realized the genius of the cover. Only an actual theoretical astrophysicist specializing in quantum mechanics and string theory would ever ask more than the most cursory question and even if they did he'd just be able to lie to them and they'd believe him as long as he sold it.

"My girlfriend and I were here on vacation." It was a weak lie, but Echo didn't need Larkin to buy it not when he'd be blowing his cover within the next few minutes. "Why are you in town?"

Larkin sensed something was amiss; he felt like he was now in danger and he knew that his contact was the reason for the danger. Lying would be dangerous if he was caught he'd be dead. He did the one thing he never thought he'd do in his career, he told the truth. "I'm helping a friend of mine out, her…" he searched for the right word to describe Chuck and Sarah's relationship he certainly couldn't say asset, "boyfriend was kidnapped."

"That's terrible, what was his name?" His voice conveyed his aloofness.

"Chuck Bartowski."

Echo nodded, but Larkin was done with the dancing. "Let's cut to the small talk."

"Whatever do you mean?" His fake concern was replaced with sarcasm.

"I know you're involved in Chuck's disappearance."

Echo was done playing games, "The Intersect is a concern of mine." His voice lacked any kind of emotion, and his delivery had been honed over the years.

Echo smiled as he saw Larkin's reaction of total and complete shock, Bryce had suspected some kind of peripheral involvement not complete knowledge of the Intersect. "You kidnapped him?"

"No, no you see I'm going to be asking the questions from now on." He saw Bryce reaching for his weapon, but Echo was faster. "There's a block of C4 taped on the underside of your surveillance van, I'm jamming their receivers and looping our last conversation and I have my backup on the rooftop across the street with a sniper aimed at your head, oh and of course I have my weapon."

Bryce was floored, never in his career had he been so thoroughly beaten. He was out of his league. Bryce sat there quietly looking for an out of some kind.

"Now I want the location of the new Intersect."

"You mean you don't have the Intersect?"

"The location of the building where the NSA has constructed their new Intersect."

Bryce smiled; finally he had something that he could flaunt over his opponent. "You can't figure it out?"

"Should I just kidnap you and torture it out of you?" The threat was real, and while Bryce was used to being threatened with torture and death he knew that the man who called himself John would certainly break Bryce, if only for the challenge of it.

"So that's what you're doing to Chuck? Torturing him? Forcing him to flash and give you new Intel?"

"The address. Now." His voice was dead.

Bryce pursed his lips, his eyes flashed with anger, for the first time in his career he'd totally failed. He wrote it down on the napkin and passed it to John.

"Here John, but let the kid go he's not one of us."

"My name isn't John and believe me Chuck is perfectly happy where he currently is."

"I highly doubt that." Echo holstered his weapon, they'd be done shortly. "Sarah isn't there and despite my advice he still has feelings for her."

"How long does she have?"

Bryce stared at him confused.

"Until she cracks, how long until she breaks down?" Bryce was surprised; John appeared to actually be concerned about Sarah.

"Two, three days, four tops."

"She's a good agent. I'll have him call her." He dropped a few bills, to cover the bill, onto the table as he stood up.

Bryce looked at him like he had three heads, "you're kidding right?"

Echo walked outside, glanced up at his partner and signaled him to bug out. He walked down a few yards and hopped into his corvette.

***

**+ 6 Hours since the Incident.**

Sarah walked back into their—her hotel room, "Out." Was her simple order to the NSA agent's already in the room. They gave her a puzzled look, but complied quickly enough.

As they exited she locked the door and turned back to it. She had to search it for any clues as to the identity of the kidnapper, but as she looked at it she was overcome with the enormity of the memories, and the loss she felt.

Taking a few steps into the room she saw the number of weapons available to her. She had dozens of weapons hidden around the hotel room, but she'd removed all the ones she'd had in the bedroom after their first night there.

_***_

"_Wow the CIA certainly spared no expense on this little trip."_

"_No, Chuck they usually don't…"_

"_Do you think we could convince them that I need a new place? Or at least renovate Ellie and Awesome's?"_

_She laughed, "With current housing prices I'm sure we could arrange for a new place. Although we would have to sell it as related to your cover somehow so I imagine I'd have to move in with you."_

_He pulled her flush up against him, "That wouldn't be so bad."_

_Casey chose that moment to walk in with their suitcases, "Sorry to interrupt kids but I'm sure you'll have the rest of the night to get yourself compromised Walker."_

"_We have a cover to protect Casey, what if you had given our bags to a regular hotel employee and he walked in to see a couple in love standing across the room acting like complete strangers?"_

"_Supposedly Walker, you're supposed to be in love."_

_She just stared at him. _

"_That was obviously implied Casey. We're not actually in love." They both turned to look at the long forgotten Chuck. Sarah's face was a cross between mortification and pride that he'd covered for her so quickly; Casey cracked a smile and grunted. Casey was going to enjoy this vacation with those two trying to cover up their slips. _

"_Walker set up the cameras on this end, I'll set up the computers in my room." He said departing their room with a few of his bags. _

"_Thanks, I…I didn't think he'd notice."_

"_Don't worry about it." They stood their awkwardly looking around the room for a few minutes, neither sure what to do. "I'm uh, going to bed." _

_He looked at her for confirmation, "ok I'll unpack and then I've gotta check in with Casey and Beckman."_

"_Should I be there?"_

"_No! I mean I'm sure we can manage without you for one night."_

_H e nodded satisfied with her answer, "Uh which bed is mine?"_

"_There's only one bed Chuck."_

"_I assume one of us would be on the couch or something…"_

_A look of disappointment crossed her face, but was replaced with her emotionless mask before he could notice it. "Take the bed I'll probably be getting up and doing stuff all night and I wouldn't want to wake you every time I leave the room."_

"_Sarah you need your rest to, we wouldn't want you to be too tired and falling asleep during some of the fighting would we?"_

_She smiled at him, "I'll be fine."_

_He didn't return the smile, but disappeared into the bedroom. _

_***_

_She felt silly, jet lag didn't affect spies especially spies like Sarah Walker. She was used to flying all over the world moving between time zones like most people moved through lanes of traffic, but she'd been out of the travel game for awhile. As soon as Beckman ended their briefing she'd trudged off back to her hotel room with one thing on her mind, sleep. Walking in she immediately proceeded towards the bedroom; she didn't register the man sitting up reading in the bed, didn't register his eyes bugging out as she started to strip out of her work clothes. "Uh Sarah." She stopped as soon as she heard his voice. She wasn't alone. _

_Sarah blushed slightly, she hoped Casey wasn't looking, she was used to being in her hotel room, the one without any bugs. She halted her removal of clothing and grabbed her nightie before promptly disappearing into the bathroom. When she re-emerged she immediately caught Chuck's attention. _

"_Wow…uh…Sarah…wow."_

_She gave him a shy smile, "thanks I think…" _

_His eyes dropped to her hands in which she held a pair of knives and a gun. As she walked over to her side of the bed she dropped the knives onto the night stand and slipped the gun under her pillow. Climbing into bed her eyes sought out Chuck's expecting the smile that always improved her day. But as she found his, she saw that he wasn't smiling, he was frowning. She hated seeing him look like he did and she had no idea why he looked so dejected, as if he had been betrayed. Then she followed his eyes; he was staring at her knives. _

"_I thought you didn't bring weapons," he leaned closer to her and dropped his voice to a low whisper, "when things were real."_

_She was shocked that he'd remembered one sentence she'd said months ago when they'd both been surrounded by guns—which always made him nervous—but she smiled as she realized that remembering that was such a Chuck thing to do. _

"_Sorry I'll take them out first thing in the morning." She was surprised to discover that she wasn't lying she fully intended to remove all of those weapons from the bedroom. She'd leave them just outside, but inside they'd be totally unprotected. She rationalized it, in that they were in no real danger in the bedroom they'd be better off being captured and having Casey rescue them rather than trying to fight a team of Fulcrum agents with a pistol, 2 knives, and no cover._

***

She let her hands drift over the furniture as she walked through the room. She kept replaying the events in her mind. She thought of a billion different ways it could have gone down and resulted in her and Chuck sleeping in that bed right now, but she knew it wasn't productive to think like that. She couldn't change the past, no matter how much she wanted to, and the only way to fix her mistakes was to get Chuck back. Standing alone in their hotel room, she let Sarah slip into the darkness and gave herself over to Agent Walker. She knew Chuck might hate it when she rescued him, but at least he'd be safe and then she could let Sarah back out.

Her radio chirped to life, "Walker Beckman is pulling up now and she isn't alone."

A/N- I know at the end Sarah does retreat a bit from Agent mode, but there's a reason for her moving between Sarah and Agent Walker and attempting to shut Sarah away until he's back. And yes Chuck's time frame is ahead of Sarah's by a few hours. I normally don't like that, but they will catch up shortly (like the next chapter).

What do you think of the flashbacks? Like 'em? Hate 'em? I'm trying to work one in a chapter (which kinda presents some problems in figuring out what to write them about and how to trigger them) so if I'd like to know what you think of them.

Reviews are always appreciated very much good or bad. I like to have some idea of what works and what doesn't.


	4. Larkin, Bryce Larkin

A/N- Wow, thanks for the reviews guys.

**Larkin, Bryce Larkin**

**+ 6 Hours**

Sarah, Casey, and all the other agents in the room immediately snapped to attention as Beckman and Bryce entered the hotel room.

"Report!" Her voice was crisp and to the point. She wasn't happy that Bartowski hadn't been found yet.

"We don't have much general."

"It's been six hours since the Intersect, who in the event your forgot is the most valuable United States intelligence asset, went missing and you're telling me you have nothing!"

"General, it wasn't Fulcrum that we've confirmed that."

"Then who was it Agent Walker?"

"We don't know, yet."

"So what you really mean to say is that the people who kidnapped Chuck are highly trained, know about the Intersect and we have zero intel on them, not even their name?"

"Yes, General."

"You better have something else or I'm reassigning you to the deepest, darkest hole I can find."

"We found two bodies up on the rooftop and it looks like he left via helicopter."

"Well did you check to see if there are any reports concerning one in the area?"

"Yes general, but while it seems almost certain that they left via helicopter there is no evidence to suggest one in the area." The agent paused for a moment preparing himself for his next accusation, "We believe either they were using some kind of stealth helicopter or they hacked in and deleted all traces of it."

"So you once again have nothing."

"I believe they hacked in, general, which would indicate they have access to some advanced computer hackers. I don't know how many organizations have the ability to do that."

"General perhaps if I were to view the video I might recognize whoever it was that took Chuck." Bryce added hoping to calm the general a bit.

"Pull it up, I'd like to see it myself as well."

Casey played the surveillance videos that they'd accumulated.

The video of the actual attack on Sarah and Chuck's bedroom was first up.

"Agent Walker mind explaining why you didn't arm yourself to deal with the intruder?"

"I didn't have any weapons in the room ma'am."

"Agent Walker please remind me, did you graduate from the farm or are you some sort of imposter?"

"General the asset was uncomfortable with the weapons."

"Agent Walker your job is to ensure the intersect's safety not comfort."

Bryce ignored the exchange between the two; he'd figured out long ago that she was compromised. He'd recommended to Beckman that she order a 49-B and she'd agreed, but told him that she needed more evidence to order it. "General I think I might have something."

"What is it Agent Larkin?"

"Well I'm not 100% sure, but I think I know who it was that kidnapped Chuck."

"Come with my Bryce, I think we should talk in private."

"No it's nothing classified."

"Ok then how do you know who did this?"

"I think I've dealt with the guy who held them up at gun point before."

"You know that guy? Who is he?"

Bryce paused for a moment to collect his thoughts and go through his memories of the man again. "John, John Becker. I'm guessing that's a cover though, I thought he was a hedge fund manager; I did check his cover once and it checked out perfectly, so if it is this guy the organization is very good."

"Can you organize a meet with him?"

"He does work around here, I'll arrange a meeting, actually he called me while we were on our way over."

"Good at least one of my agent's has been able to generate one possible lead." She stared at Casey, Walker, and the rest of the team. Beckman turned to her team of agents, "I want you all to go back over any possible leads and look for any signs that they've been sterilized and when you come back and report you better have something more than you do now. Do I make myself clear?"

A chorus of "Yes ma'am." Quickly followed but did nothing to soften her demeanor.

When they had finished exiting the room she turned back to her three senior agents, "I want everything you have on John Becker."

"Well I first met him years ago in Venezuela."

***

"_Better luck next time old chap." Bryce looked over at the man sitting next to him at the bar. _

"_Excuse me?" _

"_Although I think she might be a lesbian, she turned me down as well." _

"_So any woman who turns you down is a lesbian?" Bryce was on guard, the brit seemed just a bit to good. _

"_Most are, and judging by the way you handled yourself and the rejection I'm guessing any woman who turns us both down is."_

"_Larkin, Bryce Larkin."_

"_Who are you James Bond? Name's John Becker." John cursed himself, he'd come close to slipping back into the southwestern persona he'd been making use of more recently. _

"_So Mr. Larkin what do you do?"_

"_I'm an investment banker."_

"_Oh, I'm an astrophysicist myself. You on vacation to or here for business?"_

"_A little of both."_

_John nodded, he'd successfully lulled Larkin into a sense of security, "I know a good bar around the corner if you think we'd have better luck there?"_

"_It could be interesting, but I have an early morning tomorrow and don't have the time to put in the effort." Bryce was actually hoping on a boat and crossing the border in a few hours and had the police searching for him, so he knew he couldn't risk leaving the hotel. _

_John had just finished up assassinating the leaders of a rebel group out in the jungle and was looking forward to some female companionship. He'd been the one to draw the short straw and had to stay in country for a few extra days to deal with any possible loose ends. _

"_Well then Mr. Larkin it was a pleasure meeting you."_

"_Yes, it was Mr. Becker. Good hunting." Bryce finished off his drink and then headed up to his hotel room. _

_***_

"So of what you told me, Mr. Larkin what makes you suspect he's a spy?"

"Well I've met up with him a few times and every time is just before or just after some major intelligence coup. Unfortunately I don't know who he works for since he's killed, Americans, Britons, French, Germans, Russians, Chinese and well you get the picture. He doesn't work against any one group whatever the agenda is of those he works for is, it isn't necessarily good for us although recently they have been helping us a lot more than hurting us."

"Why don't they talk to us then?"

"Well they might want the Intersect for themselves."

"Can you set up a meeting with him?"

"Yes, he generally likes to go for drinks we're generally a good team for social activities." Sarah stared at him, they'd started dating shortly before Bryce was sent to Venezuela…

"Do it."

Bryce nodded and walked out searching for his cell phone.

Sarah walked over to the computer bank, "I'll trace the number he calls, hopefully we can narrow down the area.

"Agent Casey can we speak, in private."

Walking off into a side room she turned to the Agent towering over her, "I want your assessment of Agent Walker's mental state."

Casey looked between the General and Walker, he could easily take her down. "It's fragile ma'am. Agent Walker is certainly concerned about the asset and wants him back, she'd probably go through an army to get him back at this point, but I'm not sure how long Walker will be able to keep up her current pace."

Beckman weighed her options, she could either be upfront or force her Agent to commit or give him an out and see how much she could really trust him. "Is Agent Walker compromised?"

"She definitely has feelings for the asset that go beyond acceptable, but I'm not sure you should split them up."

"Excuse me _major_ but I will determine who is assigned to the Intersect project and her feelings go against every rule."

"General I didn't mean to-but considering the intersect is in Bartowski's mind I think it might be prudent to not separate him and his girlfriend, unless it becomes a problem of course. Knowing him, he will become _difficult_ if he is forcibly separated from her." He saw her impending question, "I agree it's ludicrous, but he's a civilian not one of us and we also have no idea how his mental state will affect the Intersect."

Beckman looked at Casey considering her options, "very well, but I want weekly updates and I want to know the moment it becomes a problem I can't have the asset falling into enemy hands because of this and of course I want to see just how far Walker will go to get him back."

"So do I general." Casey said as his lips tugged slightly upward in a repressed smile.

Beckman nodded, "I'll be sending a 49-B out in a few weeks to check up on her."

"Understood General." He said as Beckman walked back into the main room.

"Did you get a location?"

"No, he didn't pick up I had to leave a voicemail."

"Any other leads?"

"I'm going to check to see how they first arrived in the hotel," Walker said as she pulled up the security footage from the hotel lobby.

"Agent Larkin, a word." She said disappearing back into the room where she had just finished speaking to Casey. "You assured me that Agent Walker was not compromised and had no real feelings is that still what you believe?"

Bryce knew he had only two choices, his own career or he could try and buy some time for Chuck and Sarah. It wasn't a choice, "No I have to agree that now Sarah is compromised."

Beckman nodded, "She'll have to be reassigned immediately would you be interested in her as a partner?"

"General with all due respect I'm not sure reassigning her is the best option. Chuck's mental state is almost certain to effect the operation of the Intersect or at the very least is willingness to use and report his flashes I think that while it goes against every rule in the book this is one situation where we might have to bite the bullet and let them stay together."

"So you think we should let them have a _real _relationship?"

"No, make sure Walker knows that if she pursues it she'll be reassigned. Chuck won't be happy, but as long as Sarah is around he'll continue to be the Intersect."

"So we keep them together, but don't let a relationship form?"

"I think that would be best, you might want to get someone else assigned so either Walker or Chuck have someone else to form a relationship with."

"Good thinking Larkin. I'll be sending a 49-B out in a few weeks perhaps an official one might turn up some more evidence against Walker especially since my unofficial one managed to do so well."

"She slept with me! I certainly wouldn't expect that from someone who was in love with their boyfriend, cover or not." The one thing Bryce couldn't-wouldn't tolerate was someone claiming that he was bad at his job. He was the best.

"When you arrange the meeting with this John make sure to bring along my surveillance team, I don't want Casey and Walker out of my sight."

"Understood General."

They walked out again, although this time Bryce disappeared out of the hotel room hoping to track down his lead.

"Agent Walker did you find anything?"

"Looks like they came in through the rooftop as well. My personal guess was they fast roped in, and then waited downstairs for us, grabbed the Intersect and then brought in the helicopter."

"Any idea why he didn't just kill you outright?"

"No, but they wanted me alive for some reason."

"You know we bugged your entire suite, including the bathroom."

Sarah froze, she was caught. She gave herself over to her agent instincts, "What are you saying General?"

"That we have your entire suite bugged."

"General…I-"

"I was also a young woman once Agent Walker."

"General?"

"I recognize, for now, that you will do everything to get the asset back and I also understand that you may have certain preferences when it comes to the asset as long as they don't interfere with your job."

"General?"

"And Casey is not to know about your preference."

***

**+ 19 Hours **

"General I might have found something." One of the Agent's burst into the hotel room as Larkin, Walker, and the General were suiting Bryce up for his op.

Beckman simply looked at him. "General, I believe we found how they deleted the logs and all reports relating to their extraction team."

"And infiltration, they came in via helicopter."

"Really? We'll have to go back in and check for those erasures, anyway it looks like they have direct access to air control systems."

"Well perhaps you and Agent Casey are off the hook, they do seem to be quite effective professionals." Beckman looked over at Sarah.

Sarah leaned up to Bryce as she finished checking him over and making sure there were no visible bugs, they weren't risking any slip ups on this op. "Bryce be careful, we need you to come back."

"Worried about me Sarah?"

"We need you to find Chuck."

He nodded, "With Walker and Larkin working together again we'll find him."

"Get to your meeting."

"I've got a couple of hours Sarah…"

"Your done here, get going."

"Sarah it's dinner not a stakeout I can't show up a couple hours earlier."

"Then go bug the restaurant."

Bryce looked at her; he recognized the look on her face. It was one he hadn't seen in a very long time, since before they'd gotten together. She was willing to do anything to complete her mission, it didn't matter who she had to kill, who she had torture, who she had to seduce. She was in her quintessential CIA agent mode and she was going to get the Intersect back.

"I guess I'll go brief the surveillance team for a few hours."

***

**+21 Hours**

Bryce briefed his surveillance team on their job, they were to monitor the conversation for anything, cover him, and if Bryce decided that his contact had some important information he'd give the code word, Herder, and they move in and grab John.

Bryce walked into the restaurant and spotted his contact immediately, at a table up against the glass window, well that'd make his surveillance team's job easier. Normally he wouldn't have brought them along, but with Chuck being kidnapped him being sent to New York and then being contacted by John all happening within a day, it was too much of a coincidence. He also had the sneaking suspicion that John was into some deep black ops, he always showed up around when things started getting weird and usually he left after leaving a couple dozen bodies behind. He approached the table and sat down opposite him, "Hello John."

"Mr. Larkin." His contact greeted.

"So what brings you into town? String theory conference at Columbia?" When Bryce had begun to suspect that John wasn't actually an Astrophysicist he'd realized the genius of the cover. Only an actual theoretical astrophysicist specializing in quantum mechanics and string theory would ever ask more than the most cursory question and even if they did he'd just be able to lie to them and they'd believe him as long as he sold it.

"My girlfriend and I were here on vacation." Bryce didn't buy it.

"Why are you in town?"

Larkin sensed something was amiss; he felt like he was now in danger and he knew that his contact was the reason for the danger. Lying would be dangerous if he was caught he'd be dead. He did the one thing he never thought he'd do in his career, he told the truth. "I'm helping a friend of mine out, her…" he searched for the right word to describe Chuck and Sarah's relationship he certainly couldn't say asset, "boyfriend was kidnapped."

"That's terrible, what was his name?" His voice conveyed his aloofness.

"Chuck Bartowski."

Echo nodded, but Larkin was done with the dancing. "Let's cut to the small talk."

"Whatever do you mean?" His fake concern was replaced with sarcasm.

"I know you're involved in Chuck's disappearance." Bryce searched John's face for any sign of shock or surprise at being discovered it was his best opening, except there was no sign of shock.

Echo was done playing games, "The Intersect is a concern of mine." His voice lacked any kind of emotion, and his delivery had been honed over the years.

Bryce had suspected some kind of peripheral involvement not complete knowledge of the Intersect, Bryce was the one who was showing shock. "You kidnapped him?"

"No, no you see I'm going to be asking the questions from now on." He saw Bryce reaching for his weapon, but Echo was faster. "There's a block of C4 taped on the underside of your surveillance van, I'm jamming their receivers and looping our last conversation and I have my backup on the rooftop across the street with a sniper aimed at your head, oh and of course I have my weapon."

Bryce was floored, never in his career had he been so thoroughly beaten. He was out of his league. Bryce sat there quietly looking for an out of some kind. No one was that good, no one should have been able to sneak up on an NSA team wire their van escape without detection, surprise him, and trick him into the wrong meeting place.

"Now I want the location of the new Intersect."

Bryce knew the recording would have a limited time and he needed to strike a balance between being difficult and eating up the time so it would end and his team would realize something was amiss and pissing of John too much and ending up dead. "You mean you don't have the Intersect?"

"The location of the building where the NSA has constructed their new Intersect."

Bryce smiled; finally he had something that he could flaunt over his opponent. "You can't figure it out?"

"Should I just kidnap you and torture it out of you?" The threat was real, and while Bryce was used to being threatened with torture and death he knew that the man who called himself John would certainly break Bryce, if only for the challenge of it.

"So that's what you're doing to Chuck? Torturing him? Forcing him to flash and give you new Intel?"

"The address. Now." His voice was dead.

Bryce pursed his lips, his eyes flashed with anger, for the first time in his career he'd totally failed. He wrote it down on the napkin and passed it to John.

"Here John, but let the kid go he's not one of us."

"My name isn't John and believe me Chuck is perfectly happy where he currently is."

"I highly doubt that." Echo holstered his weapon, they'd be done shortly. "Sarah isn't there and despite my advice he still has feelings for her."

"How long does she have?"

Bryce stared at him confused.

"Until she cracks, how long until she breaks down?" Bryce was surprised; John appeared to actually be concerned about Sarah.

"Two, three days, four tops."

"She's a good agent. I'll have him call her." He dropped a few bills, to cover the bill, onto the table as he stood up.

Bryce looked at him like he had three heads, "you're kidding right?"

He looked at his team and motioned for them to hold their position and attempted to contact them. As he saw John walk out the door he finally heard his team again, "He's leaving Bryce what do you want us to do?"

"Stay in the van, it's wired!"

"What?"

"They've got the van rigged to blow stay in it and don't make any moves. Once he leaves then drive back to base, I'll take my own car back.

A/N- I believe I owe an apology to nirvana12, I told you this should be up by Monday, and obviously it wasn't. Unfortunately I was not aware that both the Sims 3 and E3 were this week, which is why this was a bit delayed. I look forward to any and all reviews. I did have more for this chapter, but I wanted to have both Chuck and the rest of the team on the same time period. I look forward to any and all reviews. I seriously love to hear what you guys think. Oh and I've been pretty much dead all week, so in the event I did have any plot holes please tell me so I can correct them. I think I went back, but I know I changed Echo's cover a few times so one of the older ones might be left.


	5. Captivity II

Chapter 5- Captivity II

A/N- Thanks for the reviews, I appreciate them and considering how bad the last chapter was I hope you find this one slightly better. Sorry it took so long to put it up, I've been sick as a dog possibly with swine flu as my friend just had that himself.

**+22 Hours**

Echo emerged from the elevator seemingly emotionless, but to Alpha she recognized the very slight signs of success on his face. "Sierra you can go home now."

"We got it?"

"Yeah, I'll call you in the morning to brief you."

He turned to Alpha, "How's the Intersect?"

"Good."

"Bring him down to the range, I think it's time we started to give him some basic training."

***

Chuck walked uneasily into the room, as he turned the corner he paused. His kidnapper was there armed with Sarah's pistol and staring right at him. "Mr. Bartowski I understand your handler and Sarah never instructed you in the proper use of a gun?"

Chuck was slightly confused by the distinction the man appeared to place between Casey, his handler according to the kidnapper, and Sarah. "No I don't really like guns."

"I don't care you will learn to use a gun. I even chose one I think you might like, same model Sarah uses." He ejected the clip and replaced it with one that was sitting on the counter.

"Thanks, but I'll pass."

Echo handed him the handgun to Chuck who fumbled with it and nearly dropped it. "You're just giving me a handgun?"

Echo pushed the gun downrange and away from his body violently, "first rule don't aim it at someone you don't want to see get shot."

Chuck took a step back and a deep breath. He raised the weapon at Echo, "Which way is out?" He tried to play it off as a kind of joke, but his voice, and hand, quivered with weakness and fear. He hoped his kidnapper didn't challenge him, because he'd crumble like a house of cards.

The response was swift. Echo delivered a vicious left hand punch to Chuck's nose, as the blood started to erupt from it Echo delivered another one with his right hand to Chuck's eye. Neither was designed to cause any kind of damage just inflict some short term pain. Chuck pulled the trigger, when he didn't know whether to be happy or sad. The gun made the clicking sound he associated with a gun being empty which meant he didn't hurt anyone, but he was defenseless. The angry operative grabbed Chuck's left arm and forced him up against the wall face first. "I'm disappointed in you Chuck." He dislocated Chuck's left shoulder and let him slump to the floor moaning in pain. He tossed Chuck a towel, "Clean yourself up." He turned to Alpha, "Let me know when he's willing to actually learn."

She sat down next to Chuck, "You really shouldn't have done that."

He looked at her in disbelief, "What was I supposed to do? I'm here against my will! And he obviously didn't trust me the gun wasn't loaded."

"We told you we're holding you for your own good and we'll let you go in a short time."

"Yeah what with a bullet in the back of my head?"

"No," she ground out. She was proud of the work they did and for him to just act like they were the bad guys? She stared at Chuck for a minute, "How about this, if you behave and get some proper training I will make sure that you talk to Sarah by the end of the day after tomorrow."

Chuck looked at her, "I don't really have a choice do I?"

"Not really no." She looked at him, he was still in pain and had clearly just lost a fight, "I'll buy you an hour or so before you have to go again."

He groaned, "thanks I guess."

***

She ran to catch up to her boss, "hey Echo he says he'll do it just give him an hour."

"Why?"

"Well for one he's still in pain and for two we need to talk."

"About what?"

"Oscar Romeo wants to see him."

Echo stopped in his tracks, "When?"

"Now, you can't really be surprised that he wants to I mean we knew this would happen going in as soon as he caught wind of it."

"Okay give me a one day delay."

"I can buy you the Intersect's cooperation."

"How?"

"Let him call Sarah."

"I'd really rather not unless it's absolutely necessary."

"No listen, I've got an idea." He nodded, as she knew he would, he always listened to her ideas.  
"We bounce the signal off the decoy house so it looks like that's where he's calling from, we blow it and they're going think Chuck's dead and then we're home free."

"Walker won't stop."

"No one's going to believe her and she won't be able to find him in the time allotted so we're fine."

"Don't underestimate Agent Walker."

"You like her don't you?"

"Walker?"

"Yeah, when you're talking about her, you sound different. You sound the same when you talk about a few of your other favorite activities." She winked suggestively at him.

"She was one of Graham's favorites and he was a friend."

"Why didn't you invite her in then?"

"She has a propensity for getting involved with others, which while she normally doesn't really become very emotionally attached it wouldn't be very good for team cohesion if she's dated half the team and of course you can see what happens when she's emotionally attached to someone."

She nodded, "I guess we can't all be unemotional robots."

"You're not, don't worry kid you are just able to separate your personal feelings and your job. Walker can't, if she has personal feelings towards a mark or asset they'll interfere, fortunately for her most of her marks aren't ones she has feelings for."

"Doesn't her dedication serve her well here?"

"And us, I've calculated it. No worries I've got everything planned out, we're going to be fine."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't worry, I've planned for her actions."

Alpha crossed her arms. "There's something you're not telling me isn't there?"

"Yes, I'm sorry but there are some operations that you aren't privy to."

"How important is this whole thing?"

"War winning."

Hey eyes went wide, "It's finished?"

"Team 10 is working on securing the final components and Oscar Romeo is obviously finishing up his portion of it."

"How much longer?"

"Less than a week probably."

"Cutting him loose or are we keeping him?"

"Loose, we can't afford him being associated with us."

"Why the training if he's not going to use it?"

"Team 1 isn't available for the infiltration, most of them have to deal with something out in western Mongolia and the rest are obviously needed at base."

"Why doesn't our Beijing team handle it? Britain is obviously pretty far from Mongolia."

"Beijing nearly got wiped out only two made it out alive."

"10 operatives down?"

"Might be eleven."

She fell into the seat behind her, she knew the war was getting bad, but to lose eleven operatives on one team? The Beijing branch wouldn't be back at 100% the rest of the year which even with Team 1 covering for the big problems they couldn't have a large part of team 1 fighting in Mongolia for long. Despite being the largest base by far London couldn't lose half its staff for better part of a year. It wouldn't work. "Damm."

"Yeah, so we need him to at least have some very, very basic proficiency with hand-to-hand and weapons."

"What if he gets hit going in?"

"Then I'm dead, I'll get all the blame or all the credit for this op."

"So if this goes off well, you're getting promoted aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"Well then I guess we better get back to training him, but you know we'll be lucky if he can hit the side of a barn by the end of the day."

"I think you might be surprised, I mean after all his missions have proved nothing, if not that he is a very quick learner."

She nodded, stood, and headed back into the door from whence she came.

***

"Ok Chuck I know your still hurting a bit, but I need you to do this for me okay?"

He nodded his lips in a tight unhappy line.

"Ok Chuck let's try this again without the violence okay?" She handed him the gun again, this time she knew it was armed with real bullets, granted if he attempted anything again she could easily disarm him.

He raised his right arm and lamely attempted to steady it with his left arm, his attempt at doing so clearly caused him some pain. He pulled the trigger. "Told you I wasn't a good shot," he said seeing the bullet completely miss the target.

"Ok, well let's see if we can start by improving your stance." She stepped up behind him, pushing herself into his back. He towered over her, but she didn't care she was however enjoying the feeling of closeness. He was reminding her of her old partner who was someone she knew she needed to forget, he was assigned to the Paris branch now.

She positioned his legs correctly and then turned her attention to his upper torso and arms. "Ok Chuck here, grip it like this." She said as her fingers danced over his moving his digits around and placing them into the proper position. "Ok here now, aim it like this." She gently tugged his right arm up and aimed at where the target was, although her aim was slightly obscured by his body. She then slowly brought his left arm over to the gun, "You okay? If it hurts too much let me know."

"I think I should go to a hospital."

"Chuck, I don't want to have to hurt you."

She felt him smile, when he smiled she could always tell it was a like a full body thing for him every part of him seemed to fill with laughter, or whatever emotion he was feeling. She steadied the gun and gently began applying some pressure to his fingers on the trigger, "Ok now pull the trigger." He complied.

It wasn't a good shot, but unlike the previous one it did hit the target. Ok, now let's do it again.

***

**+ 1 Day 3 Hours**

"You've certainly gotten better." She said as they stood outside his door. "You've still got a long way to go though. You'll have to keep practicing though."

"I'd really rather not and didn't you say I could call Sarah?"

"Maybe either when you wake up, or tonight." She pulled out her phone, "You can even use mine to prove that your conversation won't be bugged." She flipped it over in some attempt to show that it wasn't bugged.

"We'll try and work on some hand-to-hand tomorrow." She dropped the phone on the bed between them and made some kung-fu gestures with her hands.

"Why are we doing this? I'm not exactly agent material, Bryce got me kicked out for that—I don't like guns or killing—I really, really don't want to hurt anyone, besides I've got people to protect me."

She headed over to the door, "Yes because your handlers did such a great job protecting you from us."

"That was my fault I made Sarah get rid of all her weapons." He stood up slightly angry at the insinuation that Sarah and Casey weren't good at their jobs.

"And she complied, when she shouldn't have, because it was you who asked. If you're going to have a relationship with her then you are going to have to take some responsibility for your own protection. There is a reason that the CIA doesn't let their agents and assets have relationships together."

Chuck opened his mouth and closed it several times trying to figure out something to say, but he couldn't think of anything to counter her point.

"Goodnight Chuck." She said closing the door.

***

**+22 Hours 30 minutes**

"I think we need to bring in the director of the CIA." Sarah said as soon as Bryce finished his report.

"Agent Walker, we can handle it."

"With all due respect general I think we could use every resource we can get our hands on including the CIA."

Beckman was fuming, she'd just given this…this child permission to break rules and this was how she was repaying her? "Agent Walker I assure you that despite Larkin's small setback there is no need to risk compromising the entire Human Intersect project."

"General if we don't get Chuck back soon there won't be a Human Intersect project; we don't have much time before Chuck is gone forever."

Beckman glanced around at the other agents, Walker was right they would need more manpower, satellites, and analysts if they were going to get the asset back, "Agent Walker I will make the call."

Beckman stepped outside and dialed her rival. "Director Grimsdóttir, we have a situation of mutual concern I recommend you come to New York as soon as possible."

"We can't discuss it over the phone, the lines aren't secure enough."

"Get up here soon Sam it's a matter of national security."

Beckman stepped back into the room, "He'll be here in the next couple of hours."

"In the meantime is there anything else you might have missed Bryce?" Sarah asked.

"Nothing, like I said this guy was good, he didn't make any mistakes that I could tell."

"Well your report makes this guy seem like some kind James Bond." Sarah added coldly.

Bryce had had enough, "Sarah what is up with you? You aren't acting like yourself haven't been since I arrived."

"I don't know Bryce maybe it's because my asset is missing and no one can do ANYTHING to find him!"

"Sarah I think you need to calm down your tired, why don't you go catch a few hours until Director Grimsdóttir arrives."

"I do not need to calm down," She barely managed to keep her anger under control and avoid screaming. "I…I…I'm going to go for a jog around the block."

"Sarah-"

"-And then I'll grab a few hours. Wake me when Grimsdóttir arrives?"

"As long as you get some sleep."

***

**+ 1 Day 3 Hours**

Sarah was awoken by the sound of her phone ringing. She sprang up ready for action, she had been waiting for a call about Grimsdóttir arriving. She looked at it, but she didn't recognize the number. She picked it up anyway.

"Sarah?"

She thought her heart had stopped, "Chuck?"

"Sarah!" His happiness at finally getting to speak with Sarah was infectious and she broke out in a smile that she knew he was having to.

"Are you okay?" _Please be okay, you have to be okay. _She had collapsed back onto the bed unable to remain standing.

"I'm okay Sarah, I don't know how long I'll be able to talk to you she left her phone in my bed and I have no idea when she's next going to need it."

Sarah's normal emotional filters had fled at hearing his voice tell her he was okay, "Why was another woman in your bed?" _You two better not have been doing what I was just dreaming about us doing. _She _knew_ that she didn't have to worry about Chuck, but her previous boyfriend hadn't exactly been a paragon on monogamy although neither had she.

"We were talking, apart from one guy here most the people here aren't too bad. She's actually been kind of nice to me."

"How nice?" _Did he charm another woman already? _

"Relax Sarah, although they did-wait are you clear?"

"Yeah I'm our bedroom." _The one that we never got to properly use. _

"They know about us." Chuck's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper.

The mention of their secret relationship brought her mind back from the jealous girlfriend to CIA Agent hunting for her asset/secret boyfriend "Chuck who has you and where are you?" _Please have something besides what the morons at the NSA have come up with. _

"I don't know Sarah they aren't Fulcrum, they're worldwide, but Sarah none of them are in the Intersect and I'm indoors somewhere I'm still in the city I don't know exactly where though."

_They aren't in the Intersect? This is bad, real bad. _"That's good Chuck, they haven't moved you very far yet. Did you see anything any buildings?"

"Sorry I didn't see any construction or anything of interest just skyscrapers."

"You didn't recognize any buildings?" _Well at least I can rule out all areas with any kind of construction and he's not on the river._

"No they didn't exactly let me look around too much though. Sarah I have to go though I don't want them to know that I called you so I'll need to do a little nerd herder magic to erase the call." He said ending the call.

"You do your nerd herd magic on the phone, I'll do my super spy magic to get you back." She said to the empty room.

A/N- Please leave a review, I love to know what works and what doesn't. I won't be making you re-read the phone conversation from Chuck's pov next chapter, I learned that lesson.

Did you like the little thoughts in the phone convo? I've been toying with the idea of including them a bit so do you like 'em or no?

Going on vacation on Thursday so if the resort has internet hopefully I can give you update if not, I should have 1 (or more but I don't want to get your hopes up) ready to go when I return.


	6. Grimsdottir, Sam Grimsdottir

Chapter 6

Sorry for any problems with the chapter if there are any please point 'em out and I'll try and fix 'em but I kinda wanted to get this up and I feel horrible (in a good I've been enjoying myself way) so I didn't really get to go over it. And barely being able to read what I type is hurting me right now as I don't have my glasses.

A/N Thanks for the reviews. The following chapter is brought to you by the Hawaiian sunset and night sky. This chapter initially had more, but I decided to cut it down.

**Chapter 6**

**+ 1 Day 3 Hours**

"Gamma three-six or should I say Director Grimsdóttir how are you?"

"Good Echo, but what have you gotten yourself into?"

"Just the usual you know kidnapping Intersects and knocking out government agents."

"Why did you take the Intersect? I know it wasn't ordered by the bosses."

"Why do I do anything? To win."

The director stared at him for a moment shocked, "The whole thing?"

"Whole thing."

"You pull this out you'll be one of the bosses."

"Yeah so what's up with you?"

"Beckman called me in."

"Walker was going to, Beckman's worried about you she thinks you might be Fulcrum."

He laughed at the idea of him being Fulcrum, "So what role am I to play in this production Echo?"

"You need to use regular CIA assets to try and track us down, don't worry the op was totally clean there's nothing for anyone to find. We're going to have the Intersect call his girlfriend sometime today and you guys are going to trace the signal to the decoy house. After that I'm sure Beckman will insist on sending her team, let her Lima is waiting for her agents he'll deal with a few then blow the building. They're going to think Chuck was there and they should call off most of the search the only exception might be Walker she won't accept him dying."

"Why?"

"She's in love with him." Echo said with certain distaste evident in his voice.

The pair laughed at the agent's mistake, "Oh dammit Walker is my Agent, so you're telling me that one of my agents fell in love with her asset?"

"Totally and completely," They laughed again.

The laughter slowly subsided, "All right I have to go meet with Beckman, but I do have one bit on intel for you regarding her." The director's face held a mischievous smile.

"Oh?"

"Her replacement is Ring, now we don't know when they're planning on taking her out but they aren't going to wait forever."

"Dammit!" he cursed, "I'm going to deliver the perfect weapon right into their hands if that happens. Can you protect her?"

It was the response he had been expecting, unfortunately direct knowledge of the Intersect like that was held only by the Washington, LA, and London teams. "Not forever, you'll have to work something out with the Intersect or at least get ready to kill him."

Echo nodded as his friend moved back into his helicopter.

Stepping back inside the stairwell he saw his friend and protégé waiting for him, "Call Sierra and Lima in I need to talk to them."

She reached into her pocket, "Shit! I left my phone with Chuck."

"You what?"

"It was an accident I just took it out quickly to show him that I had a cell phone and then something happened and I dropped it and then I ran up here."

"That was dumb, really dumb." He deadpanned, the comment wasn't designed to hurt her but he really hated mistakes like this.

"Maybe he didn't call anyone?"

"He's untrained not stupid."

She took off running towards the holding cell.

***

She burst into the door violently, pistol drawn. Chuck wasn't a threat but it never hurt to show a little bit of force. "Where's the phone Chuck?" She leveled the pistol at him to emphasize that she meant business.

He meekly pointed to the nightstand, "Right there I figured you'd be back for it."

She eyed it suspiciously; she hadn't left it on the nightstand which meant he had obviously touched it and possibly manipulated it. She holstered her weapon.

"Don't worry it isn't booby trapped or anything."

"Did you call Sarah?"

"Me? Call Sarah? Now what kind of prisoner would I be if I just took every advantage to call my CIA handler?"

Did you call Sarah?" Anger seeped into her voice and she drew her semi-automatic again but didn't point it at Chuck yet.

"Check the phone logs."

She did and finding nothing grew suspicious, Chuck did work at a Buy More where he'd have regular contact with phones like the model she was using and he was probably familiar with how to delete every trace of the call.

She pointed the pistol at him, "Did you call Sarah?"

"Yes-Yes I did." He tripped over himself in order to answer in the affirmative desperate to escape the wrath of the gun.

"You know you really need to work on that thing where you'll tell the truth if a gun is pointed at you or Sarah."

"Uh-huh."

"Now did you tell her anything to compromise our location?"

"No, not really you guys haven't exactly given me much to compromise it with."

"That's the idea."

"She'll find me, she always does."

"She's never dealt with us before." She said before once again locking him in the room for the night, this time without any communications device.

***

**+ 1 Day 3 ½ Hours**

The vibrating phone on her nightstand woke her, she immediately grabbed it up hoping it was Chuck calling again but her face dropped when she saw it was simply Bryce. She answered it, "Sarah, Director Grimsdóttir is arriving now."

She hung up the phone without a word, "Thanks for the warning." She said to her drawers full of clothes.

She quickly threw on the first pair of mission clothes she found, if the director turned up some leads she wanted to be ready to lead the strike force.

She raced upstairs to the rooms where most of the NSA agents and Beckman were staying. As she arrived out of the stairwell (she had decided the elevator would take too long) she heard the elevator ding to announce its arrival and probably the arrival of her director.

She covered the distance between the stairwell and meeting room in no time at all and was outside the door waiting for an agent inside to open it when she caught the first real glimpse of her new director. He was older than she had expected, he looked to be well into his fifties or sixties, but he had the swagger and muscles expected of someone much younger. His eyes however, they captivated her. Sparkling with the wisdom of the CIA, they also seemed to sag slightly with the bureaucratic dealings Sarah and often heard Director Graham cursing. She could tell this director had even less patience for politicians and politicking than his predecessor did. Which made his ascension to being the director a small miracle, it was a political appointment. Clearly he must have done something in the intelligence community to garner a huge amount of respect if he did in fact exist beyond the politics of the beltway. The little exposed skin he was showing Sarah was able to see at least half a dozen different scars. The man had played the game for a long time and been captured a little too often for Sarah's liking. Enough torture turned any man into a cold desolate soul and she had no desire to be working for someone like that.

As the door opened and light spilled into the hallway Sarah froze, of all the ironies in the world Grimsdóttir was at that most hated distance from the door. The distance where waiting can seem inappropriate as the other person is forced to hurry up as you hold the door for them, but going in without holding the door can seem rude and one thing she did not want to be at her first real meeting with the new director was rude. So she stayed there like a deer in the headlight as Bryce stood just inside staring at her like she'd gone mad. Grimsdóttir however was himself in a rush and quickly covered the distance between the elevator and the door, "Agent Sarah Walker I presume." He said shaking her hand.

"Director Grimsdóttir it is an honor to meet you, I've heard some interesting things about you."

"Oh? I might like to hear one someday; spies do make up such great stories. "

Sarah's emotionless agent mask was dangerously close to failing, the director was going to prove to be interesting.

"I think we should get down to the business at hand as soon as possible, sir."

"I agree the Intersect is a rather important asset wouldn't you agree Agent Walker?"

"Yes sir I would." _How does he know this is about the Intersect? No one ever told him._

"Then perhaps you can start by…." His voice trailed off for a second as he looked in at the door at Agent Larkin. He gave him a quick up and down shook his head and muttered something Sarah thought sounded like pretty boy and promptly shut the door to give the pair the privacy of the empty hallway, sans Grimsdóttir's security escort. "Explaining why you were getting busy with the asset instead of being busy protecting him?" He hadn't missed a beat from where he had left off earlier.

Sarah's eyes went wide, but she managed to keep her mouth from dropping open. "Sir?"

He agitated easily and loathed to repeat himself. "You heard me Walker, but perhaps I'll make it slightly clearer. Why. Were. You. Sleeping. With. The. Asset. Instead. Of. Protecting. Him?" He poked her in the chest with each word to drive home his point. Gamma contained his smile; he was rather enjoying getting to play the part of the angry superior.

"I was sleeping with asset to protect our cover sir, we are here as a husband and wife, and in my experience generally a husband and wife not sleeping together raises suspicions."

"I wasn't referring to the literal sleeping agent, I was talking about what was going on instead of sleeping."

"Sir we weren't having sex if that's what you are implying."

"Really now? Because I've got sources that tell me you two are _in love_." He mocked her with the final two words.

She knew outright lying would be worthless, you didn't get to be director of the CIA without being able to tell when someone was lying or not. "Regardless of any feelings I may or may not have towards the asset, Chuck and I are not having sex nor have we ever."

"Really? Waiting till marriage is he? How very old fashioned."

"Sir is this really going to help us find the asset? Perhaps this conversation would be better held once he's back safely in US government hands." _ My hands, Chuck I really wish I could defend you from what he's saying Chuck but I can't do that until you are back at my side. _

"Good change of topic Agent Walker, but yes perhaps we should turn out attention to recovering the asset and we can deal with how he was lost in the first place afterwards."

Sarah smiled in relief and rapped her hand against the door, "Larkin open up."

"As in Bryce Larkin your ex-boyfriend and partner?"

"If I didn't know any better, director, I'd say you were stalking me."

"Good thing you know better." He said disappearing into the now open door, Sarah followed right behind him.

"Ok everyone, I do have one development to report." Sarah said as everyone sat down.

"What is it Agent Walker?" General Beckman announced casting annoyed looks over at the CIA director.

"Chuck called me earlier this morning."

"How long ago?"

"Did he give you any clues to his location?"

"Did you get a trace?"

"Why was I not informed immediately?"

Were the first salvo of questions she faced.

"He called about half an hour ago, I didn't have time to get a trace or alert anyone else. He was unable to give me any clues as to his locations other than that he is still in the city and that there was absolutely nothing of interest for him to see just other skyscrapers. The reason I did not inform you general is that I decided to wait until the Director arrived on scene, there was nothing further we could have done with the call."

Beckman turned to one of her agents, "Get me a trace on the line that called Walker's phone, the second it's active I want to know where it is."

"Yes ma'am."

"Agent Walker if Bartowski _ever_ contacts you again you are to inform us immediately."

"Yes ma'am I intend to."

"Did he say anything else?

"Nothing of importance."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Does anyone else have any kind of lead?" Sarah challenged .

"Perhaps I should be fully briefed on the situation Diane." The director said turning to the General.

"I think this should cover everything you need to know," she said handing him a thick file with a red _Classified _at the top.

The Company man grabbed it and tucked it under his arm. "Well I'll have to read this, but in the meantime just tell me quickly what leads you have developed so far."

Beckman nodded, her face set and completely unemotional, and indicated for the agents who had developed leads to begin explaining them first pointing to Agent Walker. "They aren't amateurs for starters. They knew exactly how and where to hit us, they took out our surveillance, then neutralized me. He used tranquilizers rather than a real gun though. He definitely wanted both of us alive and while we know why he would have wanted Chuck alive, he knew he was the Intersect, I still don't know why he wanted me alive. Reviewing the surveillance footage it was clear they weren't Fulcrum, they killed two Fulcrum agents and dumped them on the roof. Their exfiltration appears to have been done by helicopter." Sarah finished.

"I assume you've checked JFK and La Guardia radar, along with any visual surveillance?"

"Nothing, absolutely nothing these people are ghosts, sir." One of the Agents, John Syme, said nervously. He wasn't used to having some much high powered brass in one room.

"I met with someone I suspect has at least something to do with the kidnapping, he blew his cover with me during the exchange but I've got next to nothing on him and his own team and himself were top notch. Definitely trained somewhere, but I was unable to get any real intel from him apart from his concern for Agent Walker."

"He was concerned with Agent Walker?"

"Yes he was interested in her mental state." Bryce almost cringed under the withering look Sarah shot him at the revelation.

"Why?"

"He thought the disappearance of The Intersect could have an adverse affect on her."

"You mean that because Agent Walker has compromised herself with the Asset she would become an emotional wreck after he was kidnapped?"

Everyone remained silent and stared at the director.

"Well then is there anything else?" He added after a moment.

"No, nothing else."

"Well then I suppose I should review the file and begin reorganizing CIA assets to support this investigation."

"The NSA is still in the better position to continue to take the lead on the investigation." Beckman said, like a lion defending her territory she was not granting the other agency one inch of room.

"With all due respect General Beckman, you don't have the ground assets and you also don't appear to be heading up this investigation very effectively."  
She had no counter argument to his point, they didn't have as many human agents as the CIA and she couldn't argue with the fact that they hadn't yet secured Bartowski.

"I will continue to use NSA assets, there's no reason to squander one agencies asset's due to inaction."

He nodded and left the room heading to his room with the Intersect file.

***

**+ 1 Day 9 Hours**

Sierra turned to her boss and Alpha one who were standing near a bank of computers on the opposite side of the room, "Lima reports that he's ready, sir. Wait I'm getting some flash traffic, oh shit, Oscar Romeo is signaling that he is now entering our jurisdiction and wants coming to see the Intersect."

"We know he had told us yesterday."

"Does he know why you took the Intersect?"

"No, he probably thinks it's to remove the Intersect from his head."

"He's going to flip when he finds out; you know he didn't want either of them to be exposed to this game. Hell he denied a protection detail from us, and eluded everyone but us."

"I'll deal with him when he gets here. Has Alpha two arrived yet?"

She shook her head "He's still securing our ride and gear."

He turned to his protégé standing next to him, "Ok how soon will the Intersect be ready?"

"I can have him ready in a couple of hours."

"Sierra how about your end?"

She pulled up a window and typed in a flurry of commands, "I'm good to go boss." She proclaimed upon finishing the string.

"And Lima is ready so we are a go for Operation Hognose."

Alpha one disappeared through the door, heading off to find Bartowski.

Sierra heard the door close and without turning around started speaking to her boss, "Echo how do you seriously plan to deal with Oscar Romeo? You know there's no way he'll accept what you're doing."

"The same way I always planned to deal with him, to allow him what he wants."

She stared at him in absolute disbelief. "You're letting him remove the Intersect?"

"I'll give him the ability to offer it; the Intersect will have to accept."

"You've read LA's psych profiles and intelligence reports you know he wants it out." She spun around from the computer and walked over to him on the other side of the room.

"With the right amount of force in the right spot anything will budge." He smiled at her, it was one of the sayings he showed some fondness for.

"You think your that good?" Her eyes twinkled, they both knew that their team really was that good.

"It won't take much to get him to get the new one, hell if we got his CIA handler to say she wanted it then he'd do it of that I have no doubt."

"You're going to forge her voice."Her voice showed slight disappointment at the crudeness of the plan. Sierra had a predilection for longer involved operations that used new technology and technical support to achieve their objective. This one seemed rather simplistic compared to some ops she had participated in.

"No, I'm going to lay everything out for him and let him make the decision that I know he will."

"What if he doesn't?"

"Then I'm pretty well screwed." He said cracking a smile.

She laughed and turned back to the computer satisfied with the information.

***

**+ 1 Day 11 Hours**

"Ok Chuck I see your putting some effort in and if you promise to continue to put in the effort I'll let you call Sarah now."

"Ok, do you mind if I take it uh outside-more privacy out there-I mean the phone is probably bugged and all that, but I'd at least like the illusion of some privacy so could I?"

"Yes Chuck here's my phone," she tossed her modified phone towards him, "call her wherever you want. Inside the facility that is."

He nodded and grabbed the phone, heading for the balcony. He quickly dialed Sarah's number again.

"Hey Sarah it's me Chuck." He couldn't help but smile as he said it.

"Hey Chuck," Sarah nodded at the NSA agents to confirm that they were tracking the call. "No need to listen in, there's no intel to be gained and this will be a private conversation." She said to everyone who had on headphones.

"Agent Walker!" Beckman warned.

"Chuck have you learned anything new?" Sarah decided to quickly appease the General.

"No, sorry Sarah but I haven't noticed anything. Wait a minute. Yeah actually I might have, most of the people on the street below are wearing suits I think."

"That's it nothing else?"

"Sorry Sarah but there really isn't anything I recognize." She gave a look to everyone else to make sure they were satisfied that he wouldn't be giving away any mission sensitive information.

Beckman and her agents took off their headphones reluctantly, if they were going to keep him on the line for the longest time personal was the best root and no one cared to hear those details. Well Sarah didn't think anyone would want to hear those details. "Its fine Chuck, are you okay?" Sarah said as she slipped out the door and into the hallway.

"Yeah Sarah I'm fine, now she's teaching me some hand to hand." _I wish she wasn't though I really don't want to have to use it. _

"But your okay?"

"Okay, Chuck you should know that when you get back I'm not going to be transferred for our relationship."

"Sarah, please don't promise things like that just because I'm not there."

"I'm not, after this I'm not ever leaving you no matter what Beckman or the CIA says."

"Sarah you love your job." _I'll never be more important than it. _

"Chuck I—" She was interrupted as the door opened to reveal one of the NSA techs. She whipped around and fixed her most vicious gaze upon him.

"Agent Walker we have located him." He said before quickly scurrying back inside under her toxic gaze.

"Chuck are they listening to you?"

"No, they don't care they know I don't have anything that could give away my location." _I wish they weren't right. _

"Good, because I'm coming to get you we just traced the call and we're loading up a strike team as we speak."

"Ok Sarah just be careful these people are good I wouldn't want you to walk into a trap." _I can't lose you, even if I have to stay with them awhile longer it's better that you're alive."_

"I'll be careful Chuck, and we'll finish our other conversation when I see you."

"Goodbye Sarah."

***

**+1 Day 10 Hours**

"Oscar Romeo is landing now sir." Sierra said over the radio before shutting down her computers and heading to the command center.

Echo came over the radio a moment later, "everyone report to the command center immediately."

When Sierra arrived she saw Echo and Alpha 1 already present and standing at attention. She quickly joined them. "Where's Alpha Two?" She asked quietly.

"Retrieving the Intersect."

"Are you sure that's wise? I mean our guest isn't going to be happy about the Intersects treatment."

"Better than seeing him locked up in a cell."

The door opened and in walked their newest guest, "No I imagine I wouldn't take kindly to seeing Charles in a cell, speaking of which where is he?"

"Alpha Two is just bringing him up now he should be here momentarily."

The door behind the trio opened and in walked Alpha Two and Chuck Bartowski. The operative quickly moved to join his three team members giving Chuck a clear shot at his newest, and first, visitor. "Dad?"

End of Chapter 6

A/N-The operation is named for a snake that fakes its own death in case anyone didn't know I had to look it up I was initially looking for the fish that freezes every winter and stays alive but google didn't cooperate so I went with the snake. Hope you enjoyed.

Oh and I'm dedicating this fic to my new White Tip Reef Shark buddy lol hopefully I'll see you eating on a night dive 'cause I do so hate when you have to get woken up to play with us. Seriously I love diving with that thing around, he or she is so cool amazing predators sharks.

I did kinda speed it up a little, hope no one minded. I thought it might be dragging a bit.


	7. Explosions, Gunplay, and Helicopters

A/N Thanks for the reviews guys and gals.

And to organize the characters as one reviewer was getting slightly mixed up. Here's an OC list:

Director Sam Grimsdóttir- CIA director, codename Gamma 3-6.

Echo 6- Male, Team lead New York City

Formerly Based in: London, Moscow, Berlin, Madrid, Rome, Moscow, Tokyo, Beijing, London, Jerusalem, Rome, Sydney, LA, Bogota (temporary base), Miami, New York, DC (temporary assignment), Promotion to team lead New York.

Alpha 2- Male, explosive and vehicular specialist.

Formerly based in: LA, NYC.

Alpha 1- Female, aircraft and long range specialist.

First assignment NYC.

Sierra 4- Female, tech specialist.

Formerly Based in: Paris, DC, Tokyo, NYC.

Lima 9- Male, soldier.

Formerly Based in: Beijing, Berlin, Stalingrad, Jerusalem, Rome, Miami, Cairo, Sydney, NYC.

That should cover all major OCs, any others in the fic (there are a few others) you don't have to remember anything about as they will likely either disappear or die in short order.

Chapter 7- Explosions, Gunplay, and Airplanes

**+ 1 Day 12 Hours**

"Hello Charles."

"What are—your behind all this?"

"No Charles, if I had known what he," Orion aka Steven Bartowski pointed towards Echo, "was planning on doing I would have done everything in my power to stop it."

"I don't understand."

"I work with them as a sort of contractor. I have some influence with those who understand what I do for them, but I unfortunately didn't have the power to stop this before it began."The elder Bartowski walked over to a computer and using a combination of the desktop and his wrist computer quickly called up an Intersect symbol. Chuck flashed immediately it was the same flash and symbol that Orion had shown him.

"No I saw Orion die."

"As Orion I've had to die a few times, but I'm him Chuck."

"So you built the Intersect."

"No, not all of it…just the really cool parts."

"Can you remove it?"

"I'll need a little time with the Intersect cube to reprogram it but yes. Perhaps I can forgive you Echo Six if you're actions here manage to get the Intersect out of my son."

"Team 10 is securing an Intersect cube as we speak."

"From Roark Industries?"

"How did you?"

Orion spun and walked out the door furiously typing on his wrist computer. The team quickly followed after they overcame their momentary stunned inaction. Chuck followed after them.

"They're going to need help, have they started their assault yet?"

"I don't know, perhaps."

He called up his wrist computer and punched in a macro. "Ok they've already initiated their operation but I can help provide support." He said grabbing a laptop out of his helicopter. He sat down and quickly began hijacking a Predator drone. He redirected it over to Roark industries and used its sensors to quickly get a readout of the battlefield. Locating the team he began searching for any targets he could safely takeout.

"They have the cube." He commented dryly. He fired off a missile into a different corner of the facility and leveled it. The team heard the explosion and without knowing whether it was friendly or not ran out into the open and attempted to quickly make it to their egress point. Orion fired off another missile into the building from which they had most recently exited. The weapon leveled the building completely and Orion smiled as the team used the ensuing confusion in order to escape.

The elder Bartowski looked up from the computer and fighting across the America, "Are we going to LA now or later?"

"Chuck isn't leaving yet."

"Have the cube brought to me as soon as the LA team arrives." Orion said turning to Chuck. "I'll make sure we get that thing out your head, I'm sorry you got mixed up in all of this."

Chuck just stood there stunned into silence.

"Back to your cell Bartowski." Echo said roughly pushing him towards the rest of the group. Alpha 1 grabbed his arm and dragged him through the door.

"Ann, what is going on?"

"Your dad is trying to get the Intersect out of your head; he's rather unhappy that you've been kidnapped by us, even if it was for your own protection, but we've treated you quite well haven't we?"

"I've been roughed up a bit and I could have lived without the guns."

"So nothing really bad has really happened?" _Unless Sarah dies that is, but we aren't going to mention that part._

"I suppose not."

"Yeah, while we've been nice to you we usually aren't this nice with our prisoners of course we normally don't take them for the reasons we took you."

"Why did you take me?"

"I think Echo would be the one you should ask that question but it was primarily for your own safety Fulcrum was closing in on your location we had to take down to Fulcrum agents on the way to get you actually." She finished as the door opened revealing the man who Chuck had just been directed to ask questions of holding a briefcase.

"Give me a few moments alone with our guest, clear the observation room and I want no surveillance."

She nodded and moved out of the room quickly.

Echo just stood in the door for a moment not saying anything. Chuck, unable to bear the silence, quickly broke it. "Is there something I can call you besides Echo? It just sounds so weird and impersonal."

"It's supposed to be impersonal, but will John work for you?"

"That your cover name?"

"Sometimes." He waited for a moment and saw his junior team member in the _observati"Yoon_ lounge and the lights dimmed a moment later indicating that the bugs and cameras were off. "Let's get down to business now Mr. Bartowski. As you have noticed we've probably treated you better than any other captors you've had before, correct?"

"I suppose," Chuck said warily.

"There is a reason for that Chuck, these extreme measures while lamentable were necessary for two reasons. First Fulcrum was closing in on you and were in danger of capturing you, and Fulcrum or the Ring capturing the Intersect are not allowable."

"You could have just told us, we would have left if New York was too dangerous."

"That would have blown our cover and they would have gotten to you in Burbank eventually anyway. Now the second reason we needed to do this, was because I'd like to offer you a job."

"What?!?" _Who offers someone a job, by kidnapping them and holding them against their will?_

"You are uniquely capable of absorbing the Intersect and with the new Intersect that's being developed anyone in possession of it would be a powerful force to contend with. If Fulcrum or the Ring were to secure Intersect 2.0 then we would be, for the most part, screwed. Now, while you probably won't believe me, I can't fault you for that, I would rather you have that thing in your head than anyone else," He silenced Chuck with a simple look that said 'say one word and your dead.' "Now I also have the means to destroy this new Intersect and since I'm not going to have my team enter the room, I'm going to leave it up to you. You are the only one to ever have the Intersect in human form; you're the only one who can properly judge what should happen to it. I understand that I'm asking you to sacrifice everything you've been striving for since Larkin first sent you the Intersect, but Chuck the thing is we are in the middle of a war. Have been for some time. The new Intersect has the ability to end that war once and for all, but if that were to happen well there would be some negative repercussions for both myself and everyone here."

His intense gaze began to unnerve Chuck, "This thing, whoever absorbs it they'd well as you would say it would make them a superspy. If someone with the training and instincts of an agent uploaded it then they'd be virtually unstoppable. You have neither the instincts nor real training of an agent so you could still be beat, but you'd also be a formidable opponent. I've seen the designs for this thing, I wish it had never been built, but it has and I'm asking you to use it on yourself; I'm asking you to end this war; I'm asking you to be a spy Chuck; I'm asking you to…I'm asking you to sacrifice everything you've ever wanted for the greater good. I don't imagine you could have arrived at a decision on the spot, so don't bother telling me if you decide to upload it or not. But the thing is, you're the only one who can be trusted with the Intersect, you don't want to be a spy or be in this war and that's what makes you uniquely suited to end it everyone else is to close, they'll win it for their side without thinking of the consequences." He opened up the briefcase he was carrying and motioned for Chuck to look inside.

"This is something Orion, your father, developed for us. It'll fry the Intersect he wants you to use it after you use his cipher to deintersect yourself. He never wanted his family mixed up in this business, but you are and I think it's far too late to pretend that you aren't. Now in order to fry it all you have to do is slot this into the computer and it'll fry it."

"Sounds simple enough."

"It is."

"There's a few other things we're going to have to discuss but think about the new Intersect, I imagine you, and Sarah would make an excellent partnership if you were to absorb it."

***

**+ 1 Day 13 Hours 30 Minutes**

Echo and Chuck emerged from the room the latter looking rather pale and nervous the former exuding his usual calm, cool, confidant, collected air about himself.

"Hey boss you almost missed it Lima's about to start kicking some ass. Oh and Bartowski your dad is in the tech center, down the hall third door on your left." Alpha wanted him out of the command center, she knew he wouldn't be happy about the killing that was about to start especially if Walker turned out to be leading one of the teams.

***** **

**Decoy House Same Time**

Lima couldn't help but keep the smile off of his face, he didn't get nearly enough gunplay in his job as he'd like and he was about to get some real fun in. He checked the wrist computer, a gift from Orion, again and confirmed the number of agents on his floor.

They were divided into three sections, the one he was at the end of, and two on either side. They were designed to funnel troops down all three corridors evenly so that an attacking force wouldn't be overwhelming unless they were willing to risk being flanked. He was hiding in a walk in closet that was at the end of the center room. Opposite it was an elevator bank and on either immediate side were large glass windows that offered normally offered a perfect view of the city skyline, but it was currently marred by the renovations on the building across the street.

He opened up a macro on his wrist computer to turn on all the lights in thirty seconds; he had the entire floor plunged into darkness since the NSA agents had entered the building, and then drew his pistol. He centered it on the door where the government agent's head would be. As the agent wrenched open the door and faced into the even darker closet a soft _pfft _echoed for the rest of agents.

Lima rushed the now dead body and grabbed him, holding him up as a human shield. The agent was fortunately light and he wouldn't need the shield for long. He leveled his weapon out the other pair of agents in the room. He squeezed off two shots at the first agent; the first round hit him the shoulder eliciting a grunt of pain before the second round slammed into his throat silencing him forever.

The third agent in the room located the source of the weapons fire and quickly returned fire. The bullets slammed into the dead human shield, Lima abandoned the body and fired off a series of rounds at his attacker. The first three shots impacted onto the NSA agents body armor, the fourth struck the top of the vest while the remaining rounds in the clip impacted his chin, face, and head.

The two agents stationed at the elevator bank heard the exchange and turned their attention to the man who had just killed three of their friends. The lights activated a moment later blinding them. Lima had been ready for this and pulled a pair of flash bangs out and rolled them down the marble floor to the elevator bank where the agents were taking cover. He knew he didn't have long until the doors to the other hallways burst forth with NSA agents coming to avenge their fallen comrades so he holstered his silenced pistol, his cover was blown and the silencer wouldn't be of any use anymore, and retrieved a pair of Glocks from his shoulder holsters.

A moment later, as expected, he heard the doors click open. He turned and fired off several rounds into the now open doorway. He'd practiced so many times he could hit the doorway with his eyes closed, he heard at least one shot hit the doorway itself while the others impacted their targets. The flash bang detonated buying him more time to deal with pair at the elevators. He saw one agent slump down, either dead or wounded while the others at the door took cover.

The guards from the left door, however, faced no such fire and began firing at Lima. He took off running but a few of the rounds impacted his vest, these guards were using fully automatic weapons and Lima knew he was lucky to have only barely been hit by three. He swung his right arm around and finished off his clip. He hurt a grunt of pain and figured most of the rounds had hit armor or the doorway rather than a nice unarmored vulnerable target. He emptied the remaining bullets in his left hand weapon. He quickly put both pistols back into their holsters. Then using his free hands he retrieved his throwing knife which was then sent flying towards the doorway on his left with Walkeresque accuracy. It, unlike the bullets, managed to impale itself on a soft target and he was rewarded with a scream of pain and the fire tapered off for a second while the other agents dealt with their wounded friend.

He gathered the Heckler and Koch MP7AI off of his chest and sighted it at the first of the two agents. The burst hit him dead center. It punched through the body armor and shredded his heart and lungs. His partner hastily turned and fired, still attempting to get over the combined effects of the lights blinding his night vision and the flash bangs detonation. Lima dove towards the elevator, rolled over, and fired at his enemy first destroying his knees and legs, then working his way through his body armor and he aimed higher and the NSA agent began to fall and finally with a pair of shots through his skull.

Lima rolled over to the side and onto the wall. There he retrieved M4/M203 off of his back and let his MP7A1 drop across his chest. He knew a second wave of NSA agents should be approaching soon. He sat with the grenade launcher ready and aimed at the elevator door waiting for it to open. It dinged a couple seconds later and as soon as the door slid open the grenade shot through the door, exploded, and instantly incapacitated everyone aboard.

The smile spread across his face as he got ready to finish up his combat. He prepared to detonate the shaped charges at the bottom of the windows, prepared a flash bang, and set up the "gas leak explosion" that would be on the headlines tomorrow. The entire top floor of the facility was designed to blow up and mimic a gas leak/explosion to allow operatives an easy escape and the opportunity to kill off their pursuers. He slid the tube out and replaced the grenade again before slinging his rifle against his back again. With military precision he reloaded each pistol, and submachine gun. Fully armed again he set the countdown on the C4 and explosion.

He shouldered his assault rifle and prepared to engage the NSA agents that were sure to be pouring into the space between him and his objective. He threw a flash bang around the corner and counted down till it detonated. The moment after it did, he rounded the corner firing. The bullets sent the agents diving for cover even as a few quickly returned fire despite the impairment from the flash bang. Lima found one NSA agent who seemed particularly devoted to killing him, he managed to hit him at least twice with his pistol his armor protected him, but still hurt like hell. That couldn't be allowed and he noticed the major's insignia on him, as he put a round through his head stopping the fire.

The shaped charges detonated and blasted out the thick windows. He continued firing his weapon and hit a pair of NSA agents who were between him and his exit. As he continued however he felt the impacts of rounds impacting his well armored body and despite the pain from the shots he ignored it and trudged forward towards the windows. He knew he was pretty much out of time and dropped his rifle across his chest before hurling himself through the window. The bullets followed him outside but he quickly dropped below the window.

He pulled his parachute at the first opportunity, eager to avoid splattering into the street. A moment later the floor he had just jumped out of exploded in a brilliant fireball. The NSA strike force that was sent to rescue the Intersect was wiped out.

"Lima Niner clear, is my ride waiting?"

"Affirmative, you are clear to proceed to egress point and your usual ride is waiting."

Lima disconnected the radio and prepared to deal with the crowd that was sure to gather and witness his escape. He'd tell them he was a simple base jumper and the explosion wasn't him, which might work but he could just shove his way past them.

*******

**+ 1 Day 13 Hours **

Beckman was briefing the gathered NSA strike force, her team on analysts and agents, and the CIA agents, "We believe the Intersect is being held on the upper floor. The first element will lead the way to the command center dealing with any resistance along the way. Now this is the floor plan of the top floor." A graphical depiction appeared on the screen behind her. "It opens up in a elevator bank and then divides into three sections, the outside two open into the middle one that appears to be some sort of lobby, the other two proceed further and then turn out to the sides of the building where they proceed to the command center and some sort of lab. The holding cells are on the other side of the command center. Now after the first element begins it's operation the second element will follow up and provide reinforcements and then fight their way through to the Intersect where they will secure him, and then escort him out through the stairs. I don't want to risk them shutting the elevators and trapping him there."

She turned to director Grimsdóttir, Walker, and Larkin. "This will be an NSA raid, you can provide technical support but we are going to be the ones to recover the Intersect."

Agent Walker was puzzled, Beckman knew her and Bryce were good agents so why would she hold them back? Then she realized that the comment was less about her and Bryce and simple inter-agency politics. Beckman wanted to maintain control over the Intersect project and the CIA now presented a threat to that dominance. Larkin appeared to arrive at the same conclusion as he looked to his director but said nothing.

Grimsdóttir nodded, "Fine by me."

"Major Casey you are to lead the second element, Major Reynolds you will lead the first element. Ready people?"

"Yes ma'am."

The agents began to file out of the room and headed towards their SUVs and vans.

"Agent Walker I am giving you an order, do not participate in this raid. We don't need Bartowski rushing into combat in some foolhardy attempt to save you."

"Yes ma'am," Sarah said reluctantly. She understood the logic, but she wanted to be the one to walk in and save Chuck.

***

**+ 1 Day 13 Hours 20 Minutes**

The strike team silently entered the lobby and began clearing the bottom floors. The CIA agents sat in a van across the street watching the feeds from the agents. One drew Sarah's interest as the agent looked through a window and across the street. The image bugged her, but she couldn't figure out why it bugged her something just seemed wrong in it. The building across the street looked normal, well normal for a building being completely renovated, but she couldn't figure out why it was wrong. She wished she had the Intersect so she could flash on it and figure out what was wrong.

Casey approached the lobby with his team. The first team had just entered the elevators and were now heading up to the top floor. He had to wait for the elevator to get back to the bottom floor before he could finally get in on the action that was sure to await them at the top. He tapped into the cams on the first element as he waited for the elevator to return to the lobby. He saw them carefully fanning out into the three different hallways and begin to scour the area for the enemies sure to by laying in wait.

He heard the distinctive ding of the elevator arriving at bottom floor. His team quickly packed in and he followed, but just before he saw the door close he saw the telltale blonde hair of his partner. He growled (#4 now is not the time) but blocked the door from closing and stepped out for a moment. "What is it now Walker? You know you're not allowed up there."

"This isn't the place. Chuck isn't here it's a trap."

"Walker we traced the call here, he is or was here."

"They fooled us somehow; the building across the street is undergoing major renovations. Chuck would have mentioned that he said everything was completely normal."

"Come on Walker what's more likely, that they tricked the tracing software or that Chuck either hasn't seen or didn't notice the renovations?" Casey raised his eyebrow to emphasis his disbelief.

"Casey this isn't it just look at the feeds. If I had any doubt do you think I'd try and call you off?"

Casey growled and turned to his team who were standing in the elevator, "Go on without me."

They headed off to the surveillance van as the team headed up the elevator. As they exited the lobby they heard the radios crackle to life. "Hostile in the zone."

"He's armed, we have agents down repeat we have agents down."

"How many hostiles?" Casey barked into the radio.

"One, shit this guy is good." The radio died with the agent.

"Flash bangs-get cover." A rushed message from another agent.

"Major Reynolds report."

"This is team two, give us his location we're approaching the floor now."

"He's by the elevator bank, he should be right there, be careful this guy is good to good."

"We're ready."

"Shit-Shit this guy's got fucking grenades."

"Team two is down, repeat team two is down."

"Major Reynolds REPORT."

"Multiple causalities, Major Casey how the hell did you survive that?"

"I wasn't on the elevator; Walker had something important to show me."

"He wiped out that whole elevator car with a explosive."

"I'm coming up the stairs."

"This thing will be over by then Major."

"One way or another you could use another gun." Casey said and a moment later regretted it as he heard the familiar sound of a gun being readied behind him. "Walker this doesn't change anything you still can't come."

"Casey you need all the help you can get."

"No, we need the Intersect alive and not getting himself killed because he thinks his little girlfriend needs his help."

"Casey-"

"-No Walker stay in the van from now, unless we specifically order you not to."

Sarah clenched her fists, she wanted to hit him but he had Beckman, orders, and logic on his side. She released her fists and sulked off towards the van as Casey began bounding up the stairs.

As Sarah was walking out of the lobby she heard an explosion roar above her. She looked up afraid at what she might find. She saw two things, one a long figure parachuting down from the top of the building, and second flames licking out of the top floor of the building where Chuck had been supposedly held. She didn't believe he was there, but in the chance the trace was right was deathly afraid that he could be dead. _No Chuck can't be dead, he just can't be._

"Top floor is gone; anything there is dead or destroyed." She heard Bryce comment over the radio.

"Roger that we'll let the fire department handle that, anyone up there is definitely gone. Sorry Walker."

"Casey I told you, Chuck isn't here he's not dead."

"Walker we traced the call right here, this was where he was being held maybe he never got to see that building."

"Casey I know he isn't dead, I…I…I'd know if he was." She hated how it sounded and knew Casey would to; it wasn't realistic to expect him to understand when she barely understood what she was saying herself.

"Walker that shit only happens in crappy Hollywood love stories written by dumb liberals who want everyone to be happy and sing songs. The kid is gone, dead, blown to pieces."

_Damm you Casey, I don't care if you're hurting to you can bounce back from his death sure you won't be the same agent you once were but you'll survive. If he's dead I'm done. I can't bounce back from this. So find some other way to deal with your grief besides taking it out on me. _"I don't care Cas-" She remembered the man who had escaped from the building. _Get your head in the game Walker, if Chuck's alive that guy knows where he is._ She glanced up again and saw him disappearing around a street corner, a crowd gathering around him. Walker burst into the van and without a word to the shocked, and mourning, Bryce she launched the van into gear.

"Sarah what are you doing?"

"Someone escaped from that building, I'm following him to Chuck."

"Sarah Chuck's dead."

"No he's not, he can't be dead." She mumbled under her breath.

"Sarah we all know you care about him, but denying it won't make him come back."

"Bryce that whole thing was a trap a set-up. Do you really think that they'd have their prized asset killed as a part of their trap?"

"What are you talking about Sarah, the explosion was probably a fallback plan from the beginning."

"No Bryce the building across the street from Chuck was undergoing major renovations, Chuck would have known that. It's the stuff like that, the little things that Chuck said that Bryce that they wouldn't have bothered to pay attention to. Other than that I'm sure there's virtually no difference between the buildings, probably same height, color, etc etc."

The van careened around the corner and Sarah saw a figure dressed in black fighting off a crowd of people and attempting to get into a Porsche," That's him."

She took a deep breath in order to keep from running him over, jumping out and beating him until he told her where Chuck was. That likely wouldn't work to well, but tailing him would. His car quickly joined the flow of traffic and Sarah followed thirty meters back. She settled in for a long day of tailing someone around the city in traffic. Bryce was going to hate it, he hated waiting for things like sitting in traffic.

She had been following her target for about twenty minutes when she heard her cell phone ringing. She answered it calmly, "hello."

"Hello Agent Walker, you know if you were going to tail me, you probably should have chosen a better vehicle."

"Who is this?" She tried to get a better view of her mark hoping that he wasn't on a cell phone himself.

"The man you've be tailing for past twenty minutes, surely you didn't think I wouldn't notice a white van keeping a constant thirty meters back from me?"

Sarah sighed, she wanted to cry, scream, do something, her best hope of finding Chuck was now gone. The mark wouldn't lead her to his safe house if he knew he was being followed. "What do you want?"

"To tell you I'm sorry about the Intersect, I've been told he was a nice guy."

"I know he isn't dead."

"Did you miss the explosion? No one up there survived."

"Your right, but Chuck wasn't up there now are we going to keep playing games or are you going to give me a reason for why you called."

"Walker I think you should head back to LA the Intersect is dead, tell his sister ,brother, take some leave and then move on."

"Not without Chuck, now hand him over you-"

"If you want him Agent Walker I suggest you turn around and head back to where we started this little game, his burnt charred corpse should be in the holding cells somewhere. I just thought you might want to know that tailing me is a waste of time." He had a smile on as he floored the accelerator spun the car ninety degrees to the right and rocketed into a parking garage. Sarah attempted to follow him into the garage, but her van lacked the speed and handling of the sports car. She methodically searched the dark underground structure for his car and when she finally did find it he was long gone. _Dammit why can't we catch a break? I know he isn't dead. Right?_

**+1 Day 18 Hours**

"I'm done, the Intersect is ready Chuck all you have to do is put it in, watch it, and you'll be free of the Intersect forever."

Chuck accepted it dumbfounded. The key to ending the whole Intersect business was in his hands that was something he had almost given up hope of.

Echo stood cautiously against the wall. "Orion, Chuck let's go our plane is leaving shortly."

"Plane? Where are we going?" _If they fly me out of the country or out of the state Sarah will never find me. _

"Los Angeles." _Back home, well at least that's a slight plus Sarah will probably head back there at some point for Ellie and her stuff so there's a billion to one shot she'll find me. She always does._

**+ 1 Day 13 Hours Five Minutes **

"Sarah we've been driving around for five hours, give it up he's gone. Hell for all we know his safe house is on the other side of the city! We need to go back to the hotel, get debriefed, and then you can either put in for some leave or get another assignment."

"Look I know that kind of agent, he wouldn't ditch us across the city from his safe house he's sure he lost us and it was probably only a few blocks away from that parking garage. He thinks he's too good to get caught and as for the time the door is right there Bryce use it if you don't-" She stopped as she saw a helicopter lift off from the building on her left. 

"What is it Sarah?" Bryce said leaning over her to get a better look at what had interrupted her. "Sarah it's just a helicopter taking off, probably some CEO or Donald Trump going to play golf for the weekend."

Sarah ignored him and was already dialing Casey, "Casey is the radar surveillance still up?"

"Yeah Walker we've been busy dealing with our dead team." He said angrily, he didn't like losing his men and Walker seemed rather indifferent to their deaths.

"Check my location and tell me if there's anything here." She sent him her location.

Casey complied with the simple request. "Nope nothing, why?"

"There's a helicopter that just took off from the building on my left, if it isn't on radar then I'm thinking it might be our mystery escape vehicle."

"I don't know Walker, the buildings could just be shielding it."

"I'm following it Casey." She said as she hit the gas and took off after the chopper.

A/N This time I made sure the time stamps are accurate even if they don't seem to make exact sense. And I really need to watch some more Chuck, haven't seen it in weeks and writing Sarah here felt weird and wrong. The chapter did get cut a little short as it was getting to long, but don't worry only a couple scenes are missing here and have been shunted to the next chapter.

I hope I didn't repeat myself to much in this chapter (I know I had to have repeated myself a bit) but considering I found that part a bit twisted, I thought a little repetition was required sorry if I bored anyone with that. I know it wasn't well liked when I ended up doing some other repeating last time.


	8. Decisions, death, and dropping

Just a quick note, when referring to the organization who took Chuck I will refer to them in this chapter as Operative(s). The Ring is referred to as Agents. This is obviously only for this chapter.

A/N- Glad you guys enjoyed the action scene last chapter, fortunately I now have people who are expendable on both sides now so it won't be so lop sided. But that does mean I get to write more action scene well this is last chapter with action (unless it gets way to long at which point you'll probably hate where I cut it off). I also, unfortunately, do not own the plane it is owned by Bank of America which I also don't own. I also have no real clue about planes so I hope I got a way to ID them correctly, correct.

Chapter 8- Decisions, death, and dropping.

I did add a bunch of new characters, but don't worry you don't have know anything about them besides whose side they are on. Other than that, they really don't matter.

Also the time stamps are now gone, I assume you guys can figure it out from this point on as these chapters are pretty linear.

Sarah was scanning the airport for Chuck. The helicopter had landed a few minutes earlier and the blades were just beginning to stop. Surveillance cameras had gone out just as the helicopter would have entered their view so she was forced to rely on old fashioned binoculars to see her target. She had managed to find a good spot to watch the helicopter from, no one had left it yet so she knew that if that was Chuck in there she would be able to get visual proof that he was still alive. She spotted an SUV approaching the helicopter from some distance away _well that explains them waiting in the helicopter _she thought. "Ok Bryce they should start to exit now." She had timed it perfectly as she finished her sentence the door opened and out jumped an older man. Next came a much younger man who appeared to be carrying a SCAR-H. Next someone who appeared to not want to leave the helicopter as he was unceremoniously pushed out of the helicopter the older figure who first exited immediately snapped to attention and she could tell he was angry and yelling at the others. He helped whoever it was that had been pushed out up to their feet and when he rose above the SUV Sarah gasped. "Chuck," slipped out of her mouth as she stared at the figure that was mostly shielded from her view by the car. She wished she could see him all to make sure he was unharmed, but he quickly disappeared into the SUV in front of the older gentlemen who continued having words with the man holding the SCAR and whoever else was left in the chopper. "I told you he was alive." She said as the remaining four figures piled out of the helicopter and into the SUV. As soon as the last door closed it sped off towards a hanger. Sarah through the van into gear and headed towards the airport. She had made the decision to break into the airport the moment she had seen Chuck being escorted by a heavily armed man and now she had her target.

"Sarah slow down--what are you doing?" Bryce moaned as she crashed through the airport's perimeter causing his head to have quick, and rather violent, encounter with dashboard.

"Getting the flight plan for the plane in the hanger Chuck just disappeared into." She grabbed her cell phone and hit speed dial three on it, "Casey I'm going to need you to pull the flight plan of the following plane." She paused for a minute as she swung the van around the hanger's door and got a quick view of its N-number. "One-Three-Two-Sierra-Delta, it's a Gulfstream G-V." She was torn between attempting to attack the plane and rescue Chuck then and there, or taking the more sensible route and ambushing it with a team of commandos when it landed. When she saw someone stick their head out and aim at her van with an assault rifle, she knew that she couldn't assault the plane now. She sped away as the first burst impacted the ground in front of her vehicle. A warning shot.

"Great Sarah now they know we're coming."

Sarah didn't respond, he was right, but she had gotten the information they needed. "Casey got that flight plan for me?"

"Yeah Walker, looks like you're going home." When she didn't respond he clarified, "They're heading to LA."

"Casey have a full team meet them us at the airport, they have Chuck and are heavily armed."

He grunted into the phone and she knew he'd brief the General, Director, and everyone else. "I'll get a flight right now, no need to waste any time." She hung up on him and dialed another intimately familiar number to her. "This is Agent Walker I need a CIA plane to meet me at JFK now, we're flying to LA."

"Hang on Agent Walker you know the procedures."

Sarah groaned, she was going to have to go through the tedious process of dealing with Langley's bureaucrats. Bryce was on the phone next to her getting other resources ready for the operation, she was happy that she had at least one agent that she could count on.

***

**Gulfstream G-V over Los Angeles **

"We're doing what?!" Chuck asked completely confused as they stood near the door.

"No—No you can't he isn't trained, we can just land the plane and we'll drive him." Orion said desperately attempting to prevent his son from having to jump out of the flying plane.

"They'll be waiting for him there we're approaching the Intersect site we need to jump, don't worry he'll be fine. This is the only way we can get him to the facility, and the only way he could have a chance to get the Intersect out."

Orion glared at him, but if he knew that if they landed the plan his son would never get the Intersect out of his head, he begrudgingly acquiesced if it was the only way to get the Intersect out of his son he could bear to see his son take the jump, he would not be allowed to join them though.

Alpha One moved over to Chuck, "You're jumping with me Chuck; just follow everything I say and we'll be fine."

***

"Agent Walker?" The pilot called over the intercom.

She stuck her head into the cockpit. "Yes," she was annoyed at being interrupted during her pre-mission preparation time.

"It looks like the plane you've had us tracking, well some of the passengers just decided to bail out."

"What?"

"A group of passengers just parachuted out."

"Any idea on their target?"

"No idea."

"Any CIA or NSA buildings near by?"

"No idea ma'am, there's a computer in the cabin if you want to check."

She walked back into the cabin which contained a lightly dozing Bryce, "Get ready to jump."

"Jump? Why?"

"No idea, I don't even know what they're jumping on but they must know we have people waiting for them at the airport." Bryce nodded and moved to retrieve one of the emergency parachutes.

"Where are we?"

"Right here and this is a list of CIA and NSA buildings nearby." She said as she pulled the map up on the computer.

It only took a quick glance at the map for Bryce to realize where they were jumping, "Shit they're taking the Intersect."

"What?"

He pointed to a building on the map, "This is where we're building the new Intersect and they're going to jump right on top of it."

Sarah moved behind him and geared up herself while Bryce informed the pilots of what they were doing.

Shortly thereafter she was in free fall heading after Chuck and the new Intersect facility.

***

Chuck heard Ann's radio crackling to life behind him, "LA reports the perimeter is secure however given the level of activity we can't be sure the Ring won't move on it eventually."

"They have the perimeter secured though?"

"Yes they have eight units operating: Limas six, seven, four Bravo eleven, Echo ten, Mike fourteen, Zulus three and five."

"Roger that." She said before pulling her chute. Chuck was yanked upwards as the chute deployed. They continued falling although now she was able to accurately deploy onto their target. The team each hit their targets with their usual accuracy. "Team ten move in and secure the building." Chuck heard from the radio just before they hit the ground.

"We might have a problem. The receptionist, at the very least, is Ring. Unknown further contacts."

"Can you neutralize her?"

"She was no problem, but if there's any more Ring operatives they're not going to have to go through to fake greeting she did."

"Good luck."

***

"Contact, there is a definite Ring presence here." The voice came over the radio followed by gunfire.

Echo turned to Chuck and the rest of his team. "We're taking a straight shot to the Intersect room, be on guard we have Ring agents in the building. Chuck do you have everything?"

He pats himself where he'd stored the numerous pieces of Intersect gear he'd been given and nods. He then takes the wrist computer, Orion's own, and begins checking out the different possible routes to the room they could take. He realizes that there's a ventilation system he can use to get in if he needed to.

"How's our extraction route we may need to extract Cardinal." He said calmly as the team walked through the front door casually; they know that the lobby has been cleared and that the other team was in the midst of clearing the building.

"Wait who's Cardinal?" Chuck asked confused, it sounded like him they were talking about, but he wasn't aware of any need for a codename.

Alpha One answered him quietly, "You are, we aren't going to announce that we have you here, your codename is Cardinal." They heard the echoes of gunfire throughout the building. Reports came in over the radio, some of their people are dying, and some are killing. They started making their way up the stairs to the Intersect room when they heard an exchange of gunfire two floors up. A flurry of hand signals resulted in Chuck being hidden behind the two female members while Echo and Lima began sprinting up the stairs heading for the battle. The other team member dropped back behind Chuck to cover their rear in case anyone attempted an ambush.

"How'd you come up with that?"

"Computer randomly came up with it why? I kinda like it." She smiled at him, he was obviously nervous about the fighting and she hoped to calm him down a bit.

"I guess it's ok."

***

The two senior members had hit the landing where the fighting was in a matter of seconds. They saw two of the LA team's operatives, Mike fourteen and Zulu three, pinned down just outside the stairwell by a number of Ring agents. Not willing to waste any time the pair quickly set up on the door. Echo held out his hand with a rapidly disappearing number of fingers, a moment after the final one disappeared they spun out from opposite sides of the door and opened fire. The fusillade of bullets tore through one Ring agent, killing him, and wounded another. The two formerly stranded operatives advanced slowly towards the end of the hallway and the door they needed to secure.

They didn't notice the small little crevice that one mortally wounded ring agent had crawled into. As the first operative walked past it he opened fire, the vest and body armor he had been wearing were of no use the first shot cut through his side where his body armor was far too weak to resist its power and shredded his lung, the second destroyed his heart, killing him, and the final shot hit him in the gut not that it mattered.

The surviving LA team member quickly stopped seeing his friend dead. He hugged the wall, angled his gun around the corner and emptied half his clip into the bastard who'd just killed his friend. "Zulu Three is down. Second floor landing clear." He reported moving over to the door and locking, mining, and wiring up the door with sensors.

"Third floor?" Lima called over the radio.

Everyone froze as no response came over the radio. Echo, Lima and the agent they had rescued proceeded carefully up the next set of stairs. "We're taking too many causalities we're going to have to risk the elevator. We'll try and rescue anyone here you take Cardinal and head to the elevator."

"Yes sir." Alpha One replied before issuing several rapid fire hand signals to her two teammates. They moved out Sierra on point, Alpha Two still on the six.

***

As the trio approached the third floor landing they saw the remnants of some sort of explosive, multiple bullet holes, and blood. Way too much blood for any one person to have bled. Looking up further at the stairs they noted a pair of bodies on the landing above them. "Ring agents must have been waiting to ambush them looks like they got a nasty surprise when they were found." Lima commented dryly as they turned away from the stairwell and towards the hallway.

They entered the war torn room carefully attempting to avoid slipping on the blood soaked floor. Walking further in they heard someone moaning. The hallway they were in—the one directly adjacent to the stairs—was empty so they moved through the door at the end of the hallway towards the wounded man. Opening the door only about halfway they were met with a grizzly and then violent sight. First they noticed one, then two, then three and finally a fourth body strew unceremoniously across the room. Echo heard the LA agent gasp, he looked at him and noticed the unrestrained horror on his face. His mortified state was directed at one of the female bodies. "Your girlfriend?"

"Almost, we were going to go out for drinks after the mission." The operative answered as he wiped the emotions from his face.

Echo solemnly nodded, Lima grunted. They knew the score, both knew that there was a reason why it wasn't a good idea for team members to get involved with each other. Better to ignore the emotions and live then feel them and die.

Recovering from the initial grizzly sight they finished opening the door and quickly located the origin of the moaning which had begun to turn into screams of pain. Someone, they couldn't tell his affiliation due to the blood, wounds, and the side room he was partially in. They scanned the rest of the hallway and seeing that it was empty moved to aid, or interrogate, the wounded man. They checked the room that his upper body was laying in and then dropped down to ascertain his allegiance and provide medical assistance.

"Shit this guy looks like he's one of the original NSA guards."

"Can't believe any survived." He hit his radio, "We need a medical team in room three zero seven multiple gunshots."

"Inbound, is it clear?"

"Yeah."

"Then go take care of the everything else I'll be fine."

"Echo ten, this is Echo six do you copy?" They didn't have time to wait for a response as they heard another door being opened across the hall.

The figure that emerged was clearly no threat; a bruised, bloodied, and repeatedly wounded Echo ten emerged from the room. "Yeah I'm all that's left of my team." He managed to get out before he collapsed to the floor coughing up blood.

"We need a medic here double time, Echo ten is hit badly."

"I'm on my way."

"We have no idea how many are around, but there are quite a few I'm sure."

He turned to his dying colleague, "Did you get any of them?"

"Yeah, but they forced me into that room and I guess they took their dead with them."

"This area looks abandoned now, I'm leaving Mike here but me and Lima have to go with the Intersect are you going to be okay?"

"Your growing soft old friend, go."

The New York operatives departed without another word.

***

"Bryce isn't this facility supposed to have people in it?" Sarah whispered as they continued their trek through the seemingly desolate facility.

"Well considering the receptionist wasn't present, someone's been here and probably hid her body same for everyone else I'd bet."

"We need to get to the Intersect who knows what they'll do to Chuck after they…they get it." She was reluctant to even give voice to her concern that they would have killed him after entering the Intersect room, but she longed for him to reassure her that nothing would happen.

He didn't, "They'll probably just kill him once they have their own Intersect so let's cut the chatter and rescue him."

She nodded turning slightly away from him as the emotional strain of going from being on a date with him, to having him kidnapped, to everyone trying to convince her he was dead, to finding out that he was alive, to finding him in the hands of people with guns who were taking him back to the Intersect facility probably to use him in some way and then kill him threatened to overwhelm her.

They walked over to the elevator, there wasn't one on the first floor so they'd had to head up to the second in order to access it, and pressed the call button. It was a rather humorous sight the two CIA agents standing around in a seemingly abandoned building waiting for the elevator to arrive.

"You know judging by the floor it's on and where it's going I'm guessing that they're actually in the elevator themselves right now."

"Yeah hopefully we'll have enough time to get up there." The elevator took an agonizingly long time to head up the last couple of floors. As it slowly hit the top one Sarah's phone rang. "What is it Casey now is really not the time." She barked angrily into the phone.

He growled (#22 I'm on your side don't mess with me) "We raided the jet, Walker, your boyfriend wasn't on it."

"Then he must be here."

"The team is en route."

_It'll be over before they get here _she hung up as the elevator dinged signaling its arrival. The pair stepped inside guns at the ready.

***

The gunshots echoed dinged around the corner as the Ring agents attempted to crack into Intersect room and keep Chuck out. The return fire was just as furious as they attempted to get into the room and prevent them from accessing the new Intersect.

"There's too many of them we'll never breakthrough in time." Alpha One called as she turned and fired a burst down the hallway.

"Bartowski get us another way into that room with your computer there."

"Uh it looks like we could go through the ventilation system but I don't know if we'll fit and I'm not really good at crawling through vents."

"We'll hold them off Cardinal your going through that vent, just make sure you complete your mission." Echo ordered with grim determination. He signaled for two team members to boost Chuck and for another to provide covering fire. With the help of the two operatives Chuck managed to get into the vent pipe with minimal trouble and no crotch to face incidents.

As he started his slow, loud crawl towards the Intersect when he heard a cry of pain from below.

"Alpha Two is hit, repeat Alpha Two is hit we need a medic."

He heard the cry of pain followed by a thundering of gunfire from both sides. Despite every instinct to head back and aid them, regardless of what they had done to him he still wanted to help them, but he remembered what Echo had told him _Finish your mission Chuck. _He continued crawling through the vent. His computer beeped indicating that he'd reached his target. As he dropped through the Intersect door he heard the gunfire outside stop. He hoped that it was the Ring that had lost.

Regardless of what was happening outside he turned his attention to his mission. He took out both disks, one containing an "Intersect 2.0" something capable of ending whatever war was being waged outside the room; in the other hand he held the code that would free him from the Intersect forever.

His radio crackled to life again, "Cancel the medic Alpha Two is gone."

He looked at the computer screen. He gave himself a nod, slipped one disk into his pocket and the other into the computer and initiated the Intersect.

A/N- Anyone get the Clancy reference? And don't you just love how I ended it?

Please review I'd really love to know what you think since there's only 1-2 chapters left (depends if I have to combine the next chapter and epilogue something I'd really rather not do)


	9. Some things never change

A/N-No one got my reference to Clancy's series? Sad face.

Oh and the title of this chapter was actually the original fic title.

Chapter 9- Some things never change

Echo turned to his team as they finished dragging the bodies to the end of the hallway, "I want to warn you about something. Bartowki will hopefully have uploaded the new Intersect and in that case you are under no circumstances to point your weapons at Agent Walker. Do not threaten her in any way or it may activate against you and that's a world of pain you don't want to be in."

"That geek is going to kick one of our asses? I don't think so."

"He won't the Intersect will. Now we need to keep this hallway clear to cut the chatter."

***

The elevator doors parted and Sarah was out and securing the level before they had the time to finish opening. Bryce was out right after her, backing her up. She was racing towards the room, she'd memorized the plans. As she rounded the corner, far faster than someone with her training should have, she found herself on the wrong side of four heavily armed operatives. She and Bryce skidded to stop raising their weapons, despite the fact that they were by far outgunned and outnumbered. "This is a secure government facility put your weapons down and identify yourselves." Bryce ordered, Sarah certainly didn't trust her voice she was barely keeping her hands from shaking. This is where Chuck should be and he wasn't, unless he was one of the bodies those people were standing in front of. As her agent instincts kicked in she realized that none of the guns were actually pointed at her, they were all aimed at Bryce. She hoped it would prove to be an advantage she could use of some kind.

Chuck felt good about his decision as he stuck the device he'd been given to destroy the Intersect into it. A moment later it activated and removed any chance he had of changing his mind. Considering the death that surrounded him in this building he knew he had done the right thing. He opened the door and looked to see who was there ready to close it if they weren't friendly. He flashed, it was a long and violent one.

_A Cube_

_A White Rose_

_Parliament_

_Wall Street_

_A square_

_A dead man with an axe lodged in the back of his head _

_Bank statements, asset holdings, shell corporations_

_A hyper-cube_

_Associated personnel and organizations. _

_A list of speculated activities: Assassinations, bombings, kidnappings_

_Speculated objective_

_Possible technological involvement: OCIW, J-UCAS, Boomerang, CALO, XOS, investigations pending on numerous other projects including the Intersect project. _

_A Cube_

He gasped as his flash finished and stumbled forward into the hallway. "You're in the new Intersect. I know you work for the cube."

"Chuck!" He heard the shocked gasp from behind him. As he turned he realized that the four team members that he'd arrived with had their weapons up and aimed at the other end of the hallway.

There stood Sarah and Bryce, the latter still aiming his weapon at the group Chuck had positioned himself between. Sarah had lowered her weapon the moment Chuck entered her line of fire. "Sarah? What are you doing here?"

"We're here to rescue you." She felt silly saying it, they were outgunned and obviously were in no position to rescue him. That feeling was stopped dead in its tracks as her eyes met his. It took every ounce of restraint she had to avoid running to him and holding onto him, to make sure that he was physically there and wasn't just another figment of her imagination. Her heart dropped as she noticed the state his face was in. He had a black eye, and his nose was bandaged.

Chuck's head spun around to face the four Cube operatives and then back to Sarah and Bryce. "I know you spies like guns and all that, but could you please not point them at each other with me in the middle!"

Sarah watched as everyone glanced at each other and then slowly lowered their weapons. It turned out to be a big mistake. As they continued to look at each other unsure of what to do now that they had lowered their weapons a surviving Ring agent calmly walked around the corner.

In her right arm she grasped a pistol, in her left a knife. She knew that the few remaining agents in the building were moving to meet her as fast as possible, but she didn't have the time to wait for them. She needed to either kill or capture the Intersect immediately. She was behind two agents, and she quickly determined that the blonde was far more distracted than her partner. She advanced on her leveling her pistol at the blonde's head.

Chuck saw the glint of metal from the pistol and for the second time that night flashed. It was a flash like he'd never experienced before, rather than just getting information he saw odds, actions, results, and he felt his body moving.

Sarah watched in amazement as Chuck ran and closed the distance between the closest operative to him. She couldn't believe it. _He's going with them? How can he betray me? Betray US like this?_ She saw his hand dart down on the woman's thigh. _No…No…No he can't be with her, he's supposed to be with me. _

Alpha Two was shocked as Chuck approached her in a eyes met hers, but they were unlike any she had ever seen they were far colder than what she was accustomed to seeing. _What is he doing? _Then she saw it, he'd been obscuring her view of the Ring agent. Then she felt his hand grazing her thigh. _No there's no way he's going to try and do THAT? Not now. _She felt his hand reach its intended target and nearly jumped. _Chuck I hope you know what you're doing, because if you screw this up…_

_I hope I know what I'm doing. _He felt the cold metal in his hand. He yanked her sidearm out of its holster and gave her a quick smile. _The Intersect knows what I'm doing, it won't screw up…I hope._ He spun around and the Intersect acquired its target the moment she entered visual range. Chuck saw the numbers it was calculating. It took data from every nerve and sensor in his body and had calculated exactly where it needed to aim. He felt his body squeeze the trigger and the bullet went on its way. _Please be right Intersect. _The distance between Sarah, Bryce, and his target did not leave much room for error.

_He's shooting at me! This doesn't make sense! Stockholm syndrome could maybe account for him going to whoever she is, but shooting me? Or Bryce? Or anyone? It's Chuck he doesn't hurt people. _The bullet whizzed past her and hit its target. She saw him breathe a sigh of relief and then return the gun sheepishly to its owner. Sarah turned around and was shocked to see the dead Ring agent. "Chuck?" She asked turning back to him.

She could tell by the look of shock on his face that he was still in there, "It's the new Intersect Sarah it…it apparently gives me the ability not only to flash on data, but on I guess abilities as well. Good thing to I guess, because no one else was ready to protect you."

She was relieved, he was still Chuck; he just happened to have a computer that apparently gave him the ability to act on the Intel he got.

"What's the code to the room Chuck?" Bryce asked. She could tell he wanted to go upload it himself.

"I already destroyed it, no need to go in there." Bryce looked disappointed, but quickly recovered.

"So uh what are we going to do?" He said looking between Echo and Sarah.

Echo took charge, "You're going to go with Agent Walker and Agent Larkin we have our own ride out of here."

"You broke into a government facility and kidnapped the Intersect I don't think we're going to let you off that easily."

"They're not the enemy."

"How do you know that?" Bryce asked, Sarah seemed to trust him enough that she didn't need him to explain himself.

He tapped his head, "They're in here and they aren't Fulcrum."

Bryce raised his weapon again, "Chuck Fulcrum isn't the only bad organization there's the—"

"The Ring I know. These guys are safe let them go."

"Bryce we have Chuck we're good let's get out of here before they decide to start shooting us."

Bryce didn't look happy, but he turned and stalked off to the elevator.

"Chuck do you remember what we discussed?"

"Yeah I'll remember. Oh do you have my iPhone?"

Sierra tossed it to him. "Good luck Chuck."

He nodded and headed over to Sarah. "Can we go home?"

She opened her mouth to respond when Bryce reappeared around the corner followed by a couple of gunshots. "Looks like she brought some friends." He said as he turned and fired of two rounds in response.

Chuck felt the Intersect activating again. Alpha tossed him her sidearm and he caught it midair and followed the four operatives down the hall towards the danger. Sarah followed him in shock, he was acting like an agent; what had happened to him during their separation?

"We'll handle them. You guys stick behind us."

Sarah didn't really listen to him, but tagged after Chuck who was following orders. Sarah didn't notice the hand signals being issued by the team and Chuck. She dumbly followed him "Sarah I need you to focus okay? We are definitely talking when this is over, but we need to get out of here alive before we can do that." The Intersect laced his speech with an unemotional professionalism that served to wake her up.

_Get your head in the game Agent Walker Chuck; the guy who falls in love with his handler and screams when guns are around is acting more professional than you are. What is wrong with you? You don't act unprofessional. _She shook her head and attempted to refocus. She noticed the other team stacking up around the corner and preparing some kind of grenade. Chuck was holding her further back on the opposite wall covering them.

The team tossed the grenade around the corner and after the flash and bang they followed it around the corner. She heard the sounds of gunfire followed by return gunfire. She was ready to jump into action when she saw Chuck furiously typing on his wrist computer. He plunged the entire floor into darkness right on queue. Chuck's team was prepared for this; they took cover and waited for him to turn the lights back on. The Ring agents were, fortunately, not aware of the plan and fell for it. They also took cover and began equipping their night vision goggles. With the lights off they had an advantage over the team. Chuck had planned for this and was already in position on the corner. The Intersect had calculated the most likely locations of the Ring agents, he turned and put bullets into those locations. The third and sixth shots hit someone and he was rewarded with a grunt of pain before he was forced to dive back behind the wall to escape the coming blinding light and the hail of bullets the Ring agents sent towards his former location.

As Chuck jumped back to where Sarah and Bryce were waiting, alternating between anger at him fighting without them and shock at him fighting. The mistake of night vision equipment was just about to become evident when Chuck heard a female scream of pain. He immediately reactivated the lights and hoped that he'd given enough time for the Ring agents to get equipped. When Chuck turned the lights on full blast the night vision goggles amplified the light 40,000 times and temporarily blinded them. A few screams told him that he had timed it correctly. That provided his team with the needed advantage, and they cleaned them up quickly while they were distracted. "Clear," they all reported in and then Chuck led Sarah and Bryce back to the elevator.

"Wait who screamed?"

"I took a shot to the vest, hurt like a bitch, but I'll be fine." Sierra answered.

Chuck turned to the team lead, "Good luck Echo. Don't worry I'll remember what we discussed." He said as the elevator doors closed separating Chuck from his former kidnappers turned prospective employers.

Bryce was already on his cell phone, "Chuck we can't really let them escape."

"There's only two exits."

"They've got a helicopter coming to pick them up they won't be using any exits."

"NSA strike team says they're arriving now hopefully it was soon enough." Bryce said still slightly angry that they were going to get away. He didn't like to lose.

Sarah ignored him and focused on Chuck, "Ready to go home?"

Chuck smiled at her slipping his arm around her. They were safe at last. She wanted to just collapse into him and let out her emotions, but with Bryce occupying the same elevator she couldn't. As they emerged on the second floor and then made their way down to the first floor they encountered the NSA team led by Casey.

"Walker looks like you got your boyfriend back."

She glanced at Chuck; she was seriously considering admitting it. She had been to emotional hell and back and now just wanted to have him hold her, she wanted Chuck to make her feel safe and damn the consequences.

"Great job protecting me Casey I was only kidnapped from my bed."

"Well Bartowski maybe if you and Walker hadn't decided to remove all the cameras—" He stopped as the he caught sight of the third team member tagging behind them. His hand itched towards his gun, and he tried to kill him with a glare.

"They're still here, we have to get to the roof before their helicopter arrives." Larkin said meeting Casey's death glare.

Casey grunted and signaled his team to follow Larkin as they ran off to capture the other team.

Sarah gazed up at Chuck, "Shouldn't we go after them?"

"We?"

She looked at him, "I saw your moves back there, thanks by the way, but considering what you did I don't think you're going to have to stay in the car anymore, not that you ever did."

They shared a smile, "Do I need to get debriefed or anything or can I go home?"

She ran her hand up to his injuries, testing them, seeing how much pain he was in. "I don't think Ellie will appreciate you coming home early and in your condition, so you'll be staying with me for a few days."

"Oh." His face fell and she tried to not be hurt. He obviously wanted to see his sister and future brother-in-law, but the fact that spending a few days with her seemed to disappoint him hurt.

He noticed her slightly stiffen and saw her agent mask return. He realized how he seemed to react, "Oh no Sarah, no it's I just wanted to see Ellie and Devon again, make you they're okay. I'm sure we'll have fun, I mean it's you, you always find something fun to do. You have to do something to pass the time in between missions somehow and I'm sure that you've got some interesting stories about your missions, but I guess that's all classified and I did promise that we could talk although I know you don't really—"

She laid a finger across his lips, "Chuck you're babbling." She said removing her finger which was promptly replaced by her lips in a quick chaste kiss. "And I think I can come up with a few different ways to keep us entertained; if you're up to the task that is." She directed them over to a SUV.

"I'm taking the asset home." She explained to the driver as she flashed him her credentials. She indicated him to get out and handover the vehicle and he dutifully complied.

As she started the drive back to her hotel she reached out onto the console searching out his hand. She gave him a quick smile and sped off. He looked out the window as a black helicopter took off from the roof, headed towards LAX. "I hope I never have to see you guys again." He whispered against the window before turning back to his beautiful girlfriend/handler.

***

**LAX**

"I trust you didn't encounter any trouble from the NSA?" Orion asked as the team entered the corporate jet.

"I don't think any of them have even heard the name Orion let alone have any idea what I look like." He poured the team a round of drinks. "My son? Its out right?"

"He uploaded the new Intersect." Echo said taking the scotch and downing it in one gulp.

"You better not have forced him, you know what I'll do if you did."

"I didn't, check the surveillance footage." He settled back into the comfortable seats as his subordinates attempted to catch a few hours of sleep in the back.

"Where's the LA team?"

"Hospital, no word on causalities."

"Are you coming or staying? We'd prefer it if you come with us, it'd make Chuck's adjustment much easier."

"Adjustment?" Orion swallowed the remains of his drink and poured himself another. This didn't sound good to him.

"Your son will be joining us soon."

"Looks like I'm going to Hereford than."

***

She tucked herself into him still reveling in the aftermath of their union. She smiled at him, "I trust you were sufficiently entertained?" She asked playfully tracing her fingers up his opposite arm. _I know I was._

She regretted the statement as soon as she saw his reaction. She knew that he thought she had done this as either part of her job or that it was just casual meaningless sex. "No…No Chuck no I didn't mean it like that." _Why do I always have to say the wrong thing? _

He looked at her, his face a mixture of hurt, awe, and forgiveness. "I…This…This isn't just a onetime thing for me Chuck. I…I…I," she looked up trying to articulate how much she cared about him with her eyes, since words had failed her, when she saw amusement in his eyes. "What?" _He better not be baiting me, I get enough of that from Casey I don't need it from my…_

"I think this is the most you've ever talked about your feelings and I'm just kind of surprised I figured you'd be beating yourself up and trying to use what happened to kill our relationship." _That was stupid and mean. Why the hell did I just tell her that? She didn't deserve it even if the thought did cross my mind. Please don't clam up Sarah I screwed up, but please don't. _

_Chuck! No. Please don't hate me for the past. I know why you might think that, but I thought I proved to you that everything has changed tonight. _She was struck by the brutal honesty of his words, although it was 100% Chuck to be that honest, but she that it was deserved. She knew she needed to rectify that, "Chuck…Chuck I…I—"

_That was stupid Chuck don't force her let her move this at her own pace. _"Sarah it's okay I know talking is difficult, it's ok."

_Why does he always have to be so caring and considerate? _"No Chuck it's not. You deserve to know that…That I love you."

_Han Solo or Chuck Bartowski? Which response would she appreciate more? _"I love you too Sarah. No covers no lies, just you and me." _I think she'll appreciate me. _

She leaned up and kissed him. His mouth was more than willing under hers, but before she deepened she pulled back. "Ready for round two?" _I know I am._

If the smile that filled his face, the twinkle in his eyes didn't answer her his flipping them over and the hot trail of kisses down her neck, shoulders, and breasts did. _Ready._

A/N- The reason for Bryce's different attitude towards the new Intersect from the series is that he is unaware of all the abilities the new one has. So he hasn't really seen anything bad or dangerous about it.

I hope those NVG numbers were right, I got them off an NVG info site but I don't know enough about them to know if I read the chart correctly.

Yes I am that uncreative with naming things that I chose another simple geometric shape. If we never heard about the Ring and were just left with fulcrum they probably would have been named pulley or something like that. I actually wanted to call them The Hyper-Cube, but that name just doesn't have a good ring. Oh and here's the picture I was thinking of for it [the hyper-cube] as there are different interpretations of it since we can't actually see higher dimensionality shapes. If you got the historical references it obviously has nothing to do with the Intersect cube.

.com/hypercube/hypercube.

Don't worry that's probably the most science you'll have to actually know for my Chuck fics.

I believe the programs that were part of the flash are/were actual projects I would have found more, but DARPAs site wasn't being too friendly when I tried it (although it was very friendly a couple months ago strange) so I had to really on wikipedia ugh. J-UCAS I do know was though.

OCIW- Was a program that was supposed to replace the M16/M4 included in it was the XM8.

J-UCAS- Was a program designed to produce a UCAV. Originally the X-47 Pegasus was going to be included in an earlier chapter, but I dropped it and a few other minor plot lines (You guys didn't want to hear about budget reports did you?)

Boomerang- A system designed to locate the position of enemy shooters.

CALO- An AI project.

XOS- An exoskeleton project.

Woot got another Clancy reference in this chapter you guys get this one? And I figured you waited long enough for Charah hope I didn't disappoint too much.

Sorry the combat was once again pretty one sided, but they did have Intersect 2.0 helping them out.

Oh please review, this is the last regular chapter just an epilogue to go and I'd really appreciate any feedback so I can try and fine tune it to what you guys will like most.

And that's the end of the way to long Author's note.


	10. Epilogue Run, run for your life

A/N- I'd break open the champagne, but I'm in America and under 21, to celebrate the completion of my first multi chapter fic. Only took me what 4 attempts? (Those others will get finished though). And I hope this is enough Charah for you. You may be confused for part of this, it should all be made clear in either the final author note or later in the story, if you do still have questions I will be sure to answer them (although I unfortunately cannot answer any anon review questions but I don't think I've got any of those reviews) but this chapter is more from Sarah's point of view than Chuck's although it does contain his and others.

I must thank enigmamdw for an invaluable contribution to the manuscript. Sorry had to reference Clancy again, seriously though thanks are in order for enigmamdw for making a literal life or death decision about a character that I've grown to like a bit too much to be objective. Hope you guys like the result.

Epilogue- Run, run for your life.

**3 Months after his return**

**Casa Bartowski and Walker**

"Brigadier General Diane Beckman?" The voice was devoid of emotion and spoke with military precision.

The small woman immediately regretted answering the door, "Who are you?"

The response was a pistol being pointed at her head, "That is of no concern. Are you Brigadier General Diane Beckman Director of the NSA and Head of the Intersect project?"

She took a breath ready to die she had her cyanide, "Yes." Everything went to black after that.

***

She pouted as he left their bed and her warm loving embrace to retrieve his _iPhone_ from its place across the room. "Come back to bed Chuck I'm getting cold and lonely."

"Its ninety degrees out how can you be cold?"

"Because you're not here to keep me warm. I need my Chuck blanket."

"Sorry Sarah Casey just called he needs us down at Castle ASAP he said it was very, very important."

"You're turning down sex, for a briefing? I think we need to schedule some appointments with a psychiatrist for you or do you not find me attractive?" She pretended to pout. This banter had become much easier since they'd consummated their relationship and removed any chance she had of backing away, which was a major reason she had held back from doing so for so long.

He smiled at her before leaning over the bed to deliver a smoldering kiss, "Will that satisfy you until we can get back to the safety of the apartment?" He asked when pulled back.

"I guess it'll have to do." He could tell she wasn't playing a game, she was disappointed. He turned and headed off to the bathroom.

"I'll make it up to you when we get back, I promise." He always knew what to say to bring a smile to her face.

"You better." She called to him as he turned on the shower.

***

As they turned into the Buy More plaza their hands fell apart and the loving looks stopped, mostly. As she swung her Porsche into her parking spot in front of the Orange Orange he started up one of his old conversations, "I don't understand why you can't come work with me, it is my company after all I can hire whoever I want."

"Chuck why would you hire a food service employee to be in charge of your company's finances? As far as your family knows I'm not exactly qualified for that position." She softened her tone and continued, "I'd love nothing more than to have the office next to yours, granted you probably wouldn't get much work done then since I'd be visiting you so much more."

"I wouldn't mind that at all, hey maybe you could be my secretary?" He gave her the old Bartowski eye dance and laughed lightly as they entered the Orange Orange.

"Am I going to have to start spying on your current secretary?"

"Relax Sarah you know I'd never risk compromising our cover relationship." He smirked at the not-so-subtle joke.

"You better not; you know Ellie would kill you if you cheated on me again." She said opening the door to castle.

"Worried your boyfriend is straying Walker? I'm not sure that's why the CIA trained you how to spy, but I guess you could use those skills to keep him in line."

"No Casey we were just talking about how bad it would be for Chuck to cheat on our cover relationship again, there's only so many times a girl would take him back. Besides Ellie likes me and would not be happy."

Chuck decided that a new conversation path was needed and cut off Casey's impending grunt. "So why'd you call us down here?"

"Beckman's dead, new director wants to brief us." Chuck's eyes went wide and his breath caught in his throat. Sarah was shocked by the slight emotion in Casey's voice, not much, but a tiny amount.

"How'd she die?" Chuck asked quickly.

"Gas leak in her house."

Chuck breathed an audible sigh of relief.

"Chuck!" She couldn't believe he was glad that she died.

"Bartowski what's wrong with you? You happy the general is dead? Because I hear her replacement isn't so nice."

"Who's the replacement?" Sarah asked hoping to cover Chuck despite being shocked at his bizarre behavior herself.

"Guy named Bill Hendriksen, he's interim now, but will be the next appointed one so him and Grimsdóttir will be taking over the briefings from now on."

Sarah noticed Chuck's flash. It wasn't totally unexpected, he should flash on a major NSA agent, but when he emerged he looked far paler than he should have. "What was it?"

"Nothing just the usual, he's in some bad stuff that I'm not really used to."

He was lying to her, she wanted to call him on it, but she knew that since it was Chuck he had to have some kind of reason for it.

The screen winked on, it was split in half between Hendriksen and Grimsdóttir. "Agent Walker, Agent Casey, Bartowski." Sarah didn't miss the slight at Chuck, ever since he'd uploaded Intersect 2.0 General Beckman had referred him as Agent Bartowski. Grimsdóttir didn't, but while he had joined some briefings he didn't appear to be concerned with the Intersect project.

"Do we have a mission?"

Hendriksen sat quietly he hadn't said a word the entire meeting. "No on the contrary I'm ordering your team to stand down until a full review can be completed."

Casey looked like, well like he did on Election Days when the liberals won. Those days really sucked.

Sarah was using all her years of training to keep her hands and body from shaking in fear. Grimsdóttir had been far harsher towards her than either Graham or Beckman and he probably wouldn't hesitate to reassign her if he thought she was compromised. And he'd already made it abundantly clear that he thought she was compromised.

Chuck smiled, and gave the CIA director a small wink. "And what if I flash?"

"Alert Agent Casey and he will deal with it appropriately."

The two trained agents were confused, Sarah and Grimsdóttir were CIA why would he want the power to go to an NSA agent?

"What about Agent Walker?"

"Agent Walker might not be around much longer, Agent Forrest will arrive tomorrow to conduct a 49-B."

Chuck looked at him and smiled.

"Chuck do you know what a 49-B is?" Sarah couldn't believe he was smiling.

"Yeah."

Sarah was convinced something was wrong with him, he was happy about her possibly being reassigned because of their feelings, he was lying to her, and he was happy about Beckman dying.

"Any other questions?"

They shook their heads no and they disappeared off the screen. Hendriksen had been around for the entire meeting, but hadn't said a single word.

"Chuck can we go somewhere and talk?" Sarah could tell Casey was also curious about Chuck's odd behavior, but beat him to the punch.

"Let's go home, but can I drive?"

That was the last straw, Chuck was definitely not acting right. "My car? Do you want my firstborn while you're at it?"

The old Chuck temporarily returned as she saw his knowing smile, "Yeah I suppose I do."

She laughed. It was a slightly awkward laugh as she was still tense from Chuck's actions. "Seriously Chuck do you know how to drive it?"

"Even better the Intersect does."

She tossed him the keys and slipped into the passenger seat. As he shut the door and turned the car on, she turned to him. "I love you, I know I don't tell you that enough, but I do."

"Sarah what's the matter?"

"Grimsdóttir wasn't happy about our closeness and now that he's in charge I don't know how much longer I'll have with you." She managed to hold in the tears for him, but her voice was a mess filled with emotion.

"Sarah it'll be okay I promise, now I believe I have something to make up to you." She still had a thousand questions swimming through her mind, but his little eyebrow dance erased them all.  
He pointed the car home and took off.

He always managed to make her feel better, why hadn't she given in to their feelings in the beginning?

***

**10 Hours Later**

"Stop staring at me. I told you I don't like it when you watch me sleep." She said without opening her eyes.

"Good you're awake. We need to take a ride."

"What? No we're staying here. You haven't fully made it up to me." She was shocked by how much she'd changed in the last three months. No longer did she always want to go out and have fun, she was perfectly happy to stay at home with him where she could talk and act freely.

"Sarah this is deadly serious we need to take a ride get dressed." He had her attention now, she figured it had something to do with why he had been acting so strange at the briefing. Her attention really perked up when he grabbed the two duffel bags that they always had packed in case they needed to run away quickly.

"Chuck what's going on?" She hated this, he was keeping secrets from her and while his take charge attitude was attractive it wasn't what she wanted.

"Sarah I need you to trust me, I'll explain everything in the car." She bit her lip unconsciously and nodded. The clothes he tossed her were even more confusing. They were her mission clothes and when she looked at him she realized he was wearing the same. Why would they need these if they were ordered to stand down?

***

"Ok Sarah I'm sure you have a hundred questions by now so go ahead."

She looked at him in total confusion, "What was your flash about?"

"Bill Hendriksen is dirty, he's a Ring agent."

Her eyes went wide, "I'm calling Grimsdóttir we need to report this immediately."

"Grimsdóttir already knows."

"Grimsdóttir is dirty to?" She nervously swallowed. She didn't want to take on the entire CIA.

"Yes, but he works for the cube not the Ring."

"Why were you smiling about Beckman's death? I know she wasn't the nicest person to you, but to be happy she died? That's not you Chuck."

"That's a little more complicated and goes back to when I was kidnapped."

***

**New York City Cube Headquarters **

**+ 1 Day 13 Hours 10 Minutes (Chapter 7) From Kidnapping**

"_Now Chuck I have some unfortunate news for you."_

_Chuck looked at him with a mix of fear and interest._

"_General Beckman is going to die, soon. Her replacement is, unfortunately, a Ring operative."_

"_Can't you do something? Expose him, warn her?"Chuck' voice had gone up a few octaves. _

"_We'll try and protect her, but we can't guarantee it and we can't expose him. If Beckman dies in a gas explosion at her house, that was us and she's safe."He knew his team wouldn't be the ones to do it, but he could arrange that signal. _

"_So my choices are either get killed or captured by the Ring when Beckman is replaced or remove the Intersect?"_

"_No they'll come after you even if you have the Intersect removed. You can either be captured, tortured, and killed by them or join us." _

"_And you don't care if I have the Intersect or not?"_

"_Beckman's reports indicate that you would make an excellent analyst even without the Intersect."_

"_I can't leave my sister, and Devon, and Sarah, and Morgan."This didn't surprise Echo every psych report on the Intersect told him how attached he was to them. _

_He knew that when dealing with someone like Chuck a little honesty went a long way. "Look Chuck I like you, I obviously trust you or I would have just tricked you into uploading the Intersect again so we could probably protect Ellie and Devon, Morgan was never in any danger and you could always take Sarah with you—"_

"_Sarah would never leave the CIA she loves her job." Echo laughed. _

"_That's not what her psych evaluation says."_

"_What?"_

"_Sarah was initially rejected as a possible recruit of ours due to her emotions. She follows them too much and considering your relationship with Agent Walker you could get her to join you." _

"_I think you've got Sarah wrong."_

"_You underestimate her feelings for you and the CIA director is one of us, he can make sure that even if Sarah goes with you that she isn't fired or considered rogue. But anyway if you got her to go with you then you would always be able to visit Ellie, Devon, Morgan, and the rest of your friends." He saw the reaction on Chuck's face and knew he had him. He had his new Intersect and his new weapon. _

"_Why wouldn't the Ring use them to get to me?" Traditional Chuck, always worried about others. _

"_We'll report you as dead in memos, don't worry you can tell Ellie your going on vacation, the Ring won't put to much effort into finding your relatives and friends, if they think your dead. If you stay though, they'll know your alive and they won't stop until you're in their custody or dead."_

"_You're sure they won't be found?"_

"_Absolutely. I'll leave the choice up to you, but the day Beckman dies I'll have an extraction team waiting for you at your favorite spot on the beach. They'll arrive one hour after sundown and wait until midnight."_

"_And if I don't show up?" _

"_They'll leave."_

"_And if I show up?"_

"_Repeat the following to whoever is there, Delta Six and then add however many people you have with you. One if it's just you, two if you bring Walker." He was happy to have gotten this far, he needed to get the codename out at the very least. _

"_What about Casey?"_

"_If you're joining us, then we want him to stay with the NSA. You would do well to have a contact with them you can trust." Chuck looked nervous about it, probably worrying about what would happen to Casey, but an NSA agent so highly placed would be invaluable. _

"_And I could visit my family whenever I wanted?"_

_Echo smiled again, he had him. "Yes."_

***

She looked at him her mind reeling from what he'd just told her. He was going rogue, the NSA director was actually a Ring operative, the CIA director was actually a Cube operative, and she had the choice to go "rogue" but the CIA director would make sure she was considered to actually be on a deep cover assignment. Despite the sea of thoughts she found herself in she had the strangest question, "Why Delta Six?"

"Six because that's his number, so it tells them who recruited me, and Delta because that'll be my designation."

"So should I call you Delta Six Two?" She smiled at him, she couldn't bring herself to say _Yes I'll go rogue with you_.

"No, but your coming with me?" His smile was infectious and she felt herself going from the slightly forced smile before to a genuine one.

"Of course, you doubted me?"

"I know you love your job Sarah and…and I would understand if you didn't want to come."

"Chuck you just told me that your life is in danger and that you're going to have to leave. There's no way I'm letting the man I love run for his life without me especially when I can help. So what are we doing? The sun's going down now are we just going to wait for them or?" She let the sentence hang there.

"I'm going to say goodbye to Ellie."

"Well then let's go."

***

They walked in casually; despite moving out they still spent a large amount of time here. "Ellie you home?"

"Sorry Chuckster she just went in for a shift." Devon called from the bedroom, the fatigue in his voice told the pair that he had just gotten off a shift.

"Devon we really need to talk, can you get up for a few minutes? I know you're tired, but this is important."

He emerged a few minutes later, "What is it guys? I just got off a triple."

"We're leaving, we're going to uh…travel the world."

"Both of you?" They nodded, "Awesome the Chuckster and his woman traveling the world way to go guys."

"Thanks we're leaving in an hour."

"An hour? Ellie is going to freak, she won't get the chance to throw you a party or do any of that stuff she'd want to do before you guys leave."

Sarah smiled, "I know I was looking forward to the feast, but this is an impromptu kind of thing."

"When will you guys be back?"

"We don't really know, it'll probably be awhile though."

"We're gonna miss you guys around here, but I totally understand guys. Have fun. Now is that all? Because I am really tired."

"Yeah, bye Devon see you when we get back."

They turned and headed back to the 911. "Chuck while I know you enjoy driving it, can I have it back?"

"Yeah, just let me drive to the beach I don't want anything to spook them."

"No problem, baby."

Chuck's head snapped around to her. They were still within range of Casey's apartment and any bugs he had in the complex. Then he realized they had no reason to hide their relationship anymore they were running away.

"I love you Sarah." He wanted to say it just for the bugs, one last rib at Casey.

She caught on to what he was doing, "I love you too, Chuck. Glad we decided to start a real relationship all those months ago." She couldn't very well let Chuck have all the fun could she?

***

"Ellie." They called as they walked into the main lobby of the hospital, Ellie still hadn't started attending to her patients yet probably due to the record time Sarah and got them there in.

"Chuck, Sarah what are you guys doing here? Are you okay? I'm kind of busy sorry I don't really have time to talk." She was quickly searching them for any signs of injury.

"Ellie we're fine, but we really need to talk."

"Doctor Woodcomb I can cover you for a few minutes if you need to talk to these two." The newly off-duty doctor offered seeing the desperate looks the newly married doctor's brother and presumably his girlfriend were giving her.

"Thanks Elizabeth, looks like I have a few minutes so what's up guys?"

"Ellie, we're going on an extended vacation."

"What? When? Where? How long will you be gone for?"

"We're leaving in about half an hour, we're actually going to be traveling the world." She naturally leaned into her boyfriend and smiled at him.

Chuck continued for Sarah, "We're going to be gone for awhile, sis, sorry. I know you'd really like to celebrate and probably throw us a party, but me and Sarah were just laying in bed and the idea just kinda struck us. I finished up my first project last week, which you two threw me an amazing party for." He said planting a quick kiss on Sarah's forehead.

"Chuck are you sure? I mean it's kind of short notice."

"Yeah we just kind of wanted to travel around the world a bit; you know visit some romantic cities." Sarah was absolutely beaming as he said this. Despite knowing it all to be a lie she'd fallen in love with the idea and couldn't contain her happiness at doing it someday with him.

"Chuck I know your company is doing really well, but can you really afford this all?"

"I have quite a bit of money saved up for something exactly like this," Sarah added. It wasn't entirely a lie, she did have money saved up in case they ever had to run although recently she'd be considering them to be more of wedding and honeymoon than off-the-grid funds. "I look forward to getting Chuck away from work, Morgan, and any other distractions he may have.

"Oh I haven't—"

"No not you, mainly the Buy More crew. I swear any time he comes and visits me at work they're all over there and don't leave unless we hideout in the freezer." She pretended to seek more comfort from Chuck, although it was really an excuse just to get close to him. She almost hated how attached they were and how much she cared about him. It almost made her nauseous a few times.

"Jeff and Lester don't leave though." He added shivering from the disgusting thought of what they did.

"Yeah I'm considering banning them from the store, last time they brought a video camera."

Ellie was just about to add a comment about how creepy the Buy More crew was when Chuck shocked her, "I'm telling you Sarah just say the word and I'll get you a job with me. We can have fun, and you want have to deal with annoying immature boys gawking at you."

"That's so sweet, Chuck, isn't that sweet Sarah?"

"Yeah, it's part of why I love him." She was glad she could say none of that sentence was part of a cover.

"I'm going to miss you guys so much, I wish we could talk more, but Elizabeth really needs to get home."

"Bye Ellie."

"Call me when you land."

"We'll do our best."

They walked downstairs, back to the car and as promised Chuck got in and drove.

***

They sat in the car, staring at the beach. The appointed hour was about to arrive. "Last chance to back out."

She was genuinely hurt, "Get this through your thick head. I. Sarah. Walker. Am. Not. Leaving. You. Now. Or. Ever. Got. That?" She had poked him in the chest with each word progressively harder until he actually yelped in pain at the last one.

"Got it you are never leaving me. We're together forever." He made it seem so final, so committed. Then she realized, she'd never been so committed before. She loved him, and no one else was even able to compare. She was ready for final and committed.

"Let's go." They knew Casey would track the car to the beach and assume it was a dumpsite. The beach during summer? Not exactly devoid of people and cars.

They approached the beach in the darkness. He saw a man clad in black standing down by the water and a zodiac. They approached each other.

As they did they saw he was armed, he was aiming a submachine gun right at them. "Who are you?" Chuck flashed and Sarah stood by nervously. She was ready to take down this guy, but she really didn't want to have to.

"Delta Six Two." He answered as soon as the flash finished.

"Confirmed, got any gear?"

"Just what we're carrying."

"Get on board I'll join you in a minute, gotta make sure you don't have any tails." He said moving forward more towards the parking lot.

As they jumped onto the Zodiac he flashed on one other crew member. He turned to them all as soon as the greeter was out of earshot, "Do you guys know he's Ring?"

Their stunned reactions were all he needed as he and Sarah were already retrieving their weapons and racing to the mole. They approached him silently and caught him in the act a third quickly joined them while the rest remained with the boat.

"Yeah, Bill, we have the Intersect onboard I'll get you the final drop location." He hung up the phone quickly not wanting to dawdle too much.

As he turned around he was confronted by three handguns. "No you won't." Chuck and Sarah said sharing a smile. They were spending way too much time around Casey. What surprised them was that rather than arrest him, the other agent fired a silenced round into his head. Without blinking she turned back and headed to the boat.

Chuck was horrified, but realized that this was part of the business he had opted to join. "This is worse than I thought Sarah, they're really going to need our help."

"Yeah Chuck, they need the Intersect, but remember I need you so don't go changing too much on me okay? At the end of this I still want to be laying in bed next to the man I fell in love with."

"I won't, I love you to Sarah."

End of Chuck vs New York

A/N- Ok just in case the beginning of the chapter (not the Beckman part) was a little confusing to anyone Chuck and Sarah are living together (24 hour surveillance ordered since he uploaded the new Intersect and there are no cameras in it) they are in a totally real relationship that they are hiding from everyone. Chuck is starting up his own software company, but can't hire Sarah because her previous covers don't exactly lend themselves to corporate finance and she hasn't ever mentioned her Harvard degree so I assume she doesn't want them to know that.

Yup another Clancy reference, although more out of necessity then fun as the initial name for the new NSA director was Gladstone. Something I'd thought I'd made up out of nowhere, when I added a first name (William) I realized I hadn't made it up, I'd remembered it from AP Euro so the name obliviously had to be dropped.

And I'm off to Dartmouth (visiting not attending, yet, would love to though)

Please drop a review and I hope you enjoyed Chuck vs New York


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